California sushi rolls allegedly cropped up in LA’s Little Tokyo in the 1960s. The California roll is a made-in-America invention. Avocados with sushi, mayonnaise with tuna, canned Spam on white rice are creations of the West.
The Ninja Baker's California Sushi Rolls
In ‘60s and ‘70s Japan, going to a sushi restaurant was like visiting a 3-Star Michelin restaurant in Paris. Every detail bowed its head to history and tradition. I remember fresh fish smells blending with the clean scent of purified Japanese stone gardens and bamboo. It was a very special outing. Raw fish with a spot of wasabi (a Japanese version of horseradish) was dipped into a soupçon of soy sauce. Today, the sky’s the limit. California rolls, spicy mayo, tempura sushi and all other strains of creativity are served…in creatively designed modern establishments with J-Pop music blaring!
California Sushi Rolls: What's your favorite sushi bar order?
Time has also danced in greater notoriety for sushi. When I arrived in LA, in the early '80s, sushi was the great intrigue of the day. Sushi restaurants were scattered here and there. Now sushi – and California rolls – are just about as ubiquitous in LA as Starbucks!
North America California Cuisine is this month's International Food Challenge.
What started me waltzing down memory lane was this month’s International Food Challenge of North America California Cuisine. The International Food Challenges are a joint effort of sharing passions for all world cuisines started by Sara from Sara’s Yummy Bites and Shobana from Kitchen Secrets and Snippets. Feel free to click on their Facebook Group which announces the events and challenges each month. (The next challenge will be announced on June 1.)
Each month, a different host is assigned; for this challenge, I would like to thank my darling Australian friend, Joanne of What’s On The List? You know how some people light up the room when they walk in? Well, coupled with her propensity for giggle evoking comments, Joanne has an enthusiasm for culinary endeavors which is positively contagious!
Flying around the culinary world with the
International Food Challenge...and taking a bite out of the North America California Cuisine with vegan California sushi!
California sushi rolls are my contribution to the North America California Cuisine challenge. The contrast of the creamy avocado slices and the crunchy cucumbers, the sweet carrots and seasoned rice all combine to make a very happy-making bite! Hope you have fun with this tasty challenge, too.
