Banzai News - Your Source for Everything Sushi

Serving sushi during the holidays is a great way to stay healthy, impress your friends and eat great food.  Unlike traditional, heavy holiday food, sushi is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals.  With its balance of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables, sushi is filling and healthy.  Create a fun themed dinner with Asian style foods and decorations to make your holiday dinner something new and exciting.  By mixing up old holiday traditions you will show your family what a versatile host and creative cook you can be.  It's common to eat a special dinner on Christmas Eve in Japan and you and yours can join in with special holiday treats.  You can accompany your sushi with Japanese plum wine called ume-shu, which is lightly sweet and sour. Although ume-shu has been consumed for over 1000 years in Japan, it is virtually unknown in the states and your family members will be impressed with your knowledge of unique, exotic cuisine.  Another Japanese tradition, which can make a great addition to your Asian style dinner, is a Japanese Christmas cake, generally elaborately decorated and fruit flavored.  

Does making your holiday meal into an Asian extravaganza sound like too much work for the holidays?  You can use local sushi catering services to help you make it quick and easy.  Read our article “Hosting a Great Sushi Bar” for more tips to help you pull off your Asian style holiday party just like a pro.
 

See more great frozen food tips at Sushi University

What makes fish sushi grade?

When eating sushi, it is important to know that what you are eating is safe.  You can’t use just any raw fish in sushi; it must be sushi-grade fish.  In order to be considered “sushi-grade” the fish must meet FDA Regulations.  According to these regulations, fish which is going to be eaten raw (with the exception of tuna) must first be frozen to kill parasites.  Fish which is not handled with the intention of being served raw may contain bacteria and parasites which can only be killed by cooking. 

Some people may be turned off by the idea of frozen fish, but chances are they have eaten, liked it, and not even known it was frozen.  A  New York Times Article quotes Shin Tsujimura, NYC sushi chef, as saying "Even I cannot tell the difference between fresh and frozen in a blind test.”

To learn more about sushi and its health benefits read Sushi...The Newest Health Food.