Sweet Beer Pong Names
Not all you see is sushi
Not everything you see is sushi
Konnichiwa. My name is Chris Ryall. My wife and I are from Australia, and have lived in Japan for 14 years.
Recently, after not returning to Australia for five years, we made a trip home to celebrate Christmas and New Year with our families. After so long away, it was great to see different rate that I had loved growing up in the Gold Coast.
My sister cooked his delicious meal of lamb shanks lemon pepper, and on another night, her husband grilled some delicious steaks Australian, still in the bones. We also ate out the local branch of a popular restaurant chain, Outback * "Jack, who specializes in traditional Tucker Australia", our word of local food. Mainly meat dishes and seafood.
Ironically, one of our friends suggested eating some Japanese food, considering that just returned from Japan. In Actually, I think she thought it would be interesting to compare with the restaurants in Japan. So I asked,
"What kind Japanese food has been taken into account? "
She looked at me as if it were a strange question, before answering,
"Sushi, of course. "
I politely told my friend that the sushi is just one of a variety of dishes in Japan. By the look on his face, it was obvious that she had never thought about it.
It is true that the Japanese tend to eat much fish and other seafood, but the cooking styles and recipes are endless. The fish is not only eaten raw or, just as much fish is eaten grilled, broiled, steamed and fried. Most of our Japanese friends tend to eat sushi only once a month, which seems to be about average. While it is a popular food, certainly not eaten as often as the stereotype would suggest.
Surprisingly, the first thing my wife and I were served when we got to Japan, it was McDonalds. Our family was so sure whether or not we like Japanese who kindly came and picked some burgers for us before our arrival. We did not have the courage to tell our hosts that are best served hot, and did our best to eat the hamburger cold with a smile on our face.
We almost begged them to try some Japanese food for the next meal, and so they took us to a restaurant typical family in Japan, which usually has a bit of Western food on the menu of predominantly Japanese. We were surprised to see how much food Japanese fried food. The next day, however, that, indeed, go to a sushi restaurant, and yet the first plate of sushi was not at all, but sashimi – Fish oil, which when dipped in different sauces was actually quite delicious.
Later, living in Osaka, we love Okonomiyaki (a kind Japanese salt cake, but with different ingredients including vegetables, meats and seafood) and Takoyaki (dumpling fried octopus about the size of a ping-pong).
In Nagoya, we enjoy eating Misokatsu (a fried pork cutlet with a rich dark sauce), and Tokyo, which shows many different Japanese curry and soba (noodles Japanese). We've even eaten fruit here than ever before knew existed, such as Nashi (Japanese pear shaped like an apple) and Mikan (an Asian variety mandarin).
As we walked across Japan, we realized that there are many different styles of cuisine, and a myriad of different flavors, in Japanese cuisine. Indeed, the Japanese love to eat food of contrasting flavors such as bitter sweet green tea, or a sour plum red with soft white rice, and so on. My point is that the stereotype of sushi and Japanese food is similar to saying that Americans only eat hamburgers, or that Australians only eat meat.
Ironically, speaking of eating meat, I think the most delicious meat I've eaten was in Japan. You may have heard the term, 'Wagyu' simply means Japanese beef. The most famous varieties of "Wagyu" that I know come from Hokkaido, Kobe, Gifu, Kumamoto, Tottori, and Matsusaka. While "Wagyu" is not for everyone due to its "marble" and a high fat content, would certainly recommend testing at least once, especially with a cold Japanese beer. Japanese do not just drink 'sa-ke "(rice wine).
My favorite 'wagyu' however, Matsusaka-gyu, albeit a little expensive. This reminds me of the stereotype associated with other I've found is that the Japanese do not eat much meat in their diet. This is quite far from the truth. Many Japanese love to eat a variety of meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef.
After moving to the mountain village where you currently reside, ate even Inoshishi (boar) in a kind of broth and Shika-nabe (a stew deer), for the first time in our lives I. have eaten 'deer' before but I've never even seen wild boar meat sold in Australia. Yes, many tourists who travel to 'outback' Australia can enjoy sampling of kangaroo meat, camel meat (cooked like bacon), the crocodile and of course "Australian lamb.
It is fair to say that I ate more vegetables and salads here I have eaten in Japan growing in Australia, although it may have more to do with my family to the eating habits of most Australians. However, my point is that the Japanese eat a bunch of salads and vegetables, especially during the summer festivals, and various types of broths and soups in winter.
Finally, the Japanese love to try food from around the world, as in many other countries, China, Thailand, India, French and Italian restaurants are very popular here. Living in Japan has also given me the opportunity to eat at restaurants Korean and Vietnamese as well. After our conversation that night, I think my Australian friend now has a better understanding of what Japanese people eat half Not everything you see. is the sushi.
About the Author
Chris Ryall is an Australian school teacher, who has lived in Japan for 14 years with his wife, Mandy. He is a novelist, poet and enjoys writing articles about Japan. His profile can be found on Facebook. E-mail: chrisandamanda2@yahoo.com.au
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