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"Wins you over with his sheer enthusiasm." -- Joseph Woods, The Independent
Product Description
Japan is the pre-eminent food nation on earth. The Japanese go to the most extraordinary lengths and expense to eat the finest, most delectable, and downright freakiest food imaginable. Their creativity, dedication and ingenuity, not to mention courage in the face of dishes such as cod sperm, whale penis and octopus ice cream, is only now beginning to be fully appreciated in the sushi-saturated West, as are the remarkable health benefits of the traditional Japanese diet.
Inspired by Shizuo Tsuji's classic book, Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art, food and travel writer Michael Booth sets off to take the culinary pulse of contemporary Japan, learning fascinating tips and recipes that few westerners have been privy to before. Accompanied by with two fussy eaters under the age of six, he and his wife travel the length of the country, from bear-infested, beer-loving Hokkaido to snake-infested, seaweed-loving Okinawa.
Along the way, they dine with - and score a surprising victory over - sumos; meet the indigenous Ainu; drink coffee at the dog café; pamper the world's most expensive cows with massage and beer; discover the secret of the Okinawan people's remarkable longevity; share a seaside lunch with free-diving, female abalone hunters; and meet the greatest chefs working in Japan today. Less happily, they trash a Zen garden, witness a mass fugu slaughter, are traumatised by an encounter with giant crabs, and attempt a calamitous cooking demonstration for the lunching ladies of Kyoto. They also ask, 'Who are you?' to the most famous TV stars in Japan.
What do the Japanese know about food? Perhaps more than anyone on else on earth, judging by this fascinating and funny journey through an extraordinary food-obsessed country.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
From the schism between Kanto and Kansai, from Hokkaido to Okinanwa, from sake to soy, Sushi and beyond is follows the adventure of a man and his young family around the genius food epicentre that is Japan.
This book is a food travel diary, which is a good thing as it differentiates it from a simple culture/cookbook. Booth seems to have some good credentials when it comes to cooking, as well as a witty writing style and a gaijin-only daring, making his story both fascinating and funny. It covers all of the subjects mentioned above, as well as seaweed, the fish market, MSG, vegetables, ramen, beef, wasabi and regional specialities amongst others. He even manages to visit the best secret restaurant in the whole of Japan.
He also interviews famous chefs, protective farmers and celebrated experts. Every story is a mixture of passion for food, and a touch of sadness, for the loss of interest in traditional Japanese cuisine.
With a base of good research and a dash of humility and humor, Booth manages to both engage and excite the reader... and their tastebuds.
This book is a food travel diary, which is a good thing as it differentiates it from a simple culture/cookbook. Booth seems to have some good credentials when it comes to cooking, as well as a witty writing style and a gaijin-only daring, making his story both fascinating and funny. It covers all of the subjects mentioned above, as well as seaweed, the fish market, MSG, vegetables, ramen, beef, wasabi and regional specialities amongst others. He even manages to visit the best secret restaurant in the whole of Japan.
He also interviews famous chefs, protective farmers and celebrated experts. Every story is a mixture of passion for food, and a touch of sadness, for the loss of interest in traditional Japanese cuisine.
With a base of good research and a dash of humility and humor, Booth manages to both engage and excite the reader... and their tastebuds.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
`Sushi and Beyond' is the story of one man's culinary travels around Japan. Michael Booth and his family spent three months in Japan experiencing the unique dishes and ingredients the country has to offer and through their eyes we get a deeper insight into both Japanese food and it's compelling and fascinating culture. Michael visits high class restaurants and street vendors in almost equal measure and shows us how various ingredients (miso, sake, tofu and soy to name a few) are grown and processed and how they can be used to best effect in cooking. The health benefits of Japanese food are espoused here and it is truly amazing just how beneficial for you some of the food is. This is written with great humour and the parts with his young boys add another dimension to what could be a rather staid book. This is part travelogue (with stories of random Japanese kindness and visits to sumo stables and other sights) and part food biog and these two aspects come together perfectly to create a fascinating book throughout. I am unsure, having not visited the places he mentions, how true to life or authentic this is, but as an account of ones mans experiences in Japan, this makes for interesting and enjoyable reading.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Michael Booth travels around Japan with his wife and young children, and produces an informative and entertaining food-travelogue. His description of the philosophy and attitudes behind many dishes give interesting insights into Japanese culture as a whole. Good to read before you go!
His self-confessed urge to try the strangest foods available means that the accent is on the exotic, and we don't get a very balanced view of what most Japanese usually eat in everyday life... but with his background as a trained chef he conveys his appreciation of many of the particular ingredients and techniques used in Japanese cuisine.
The presence of his two young sons on the trip, being such blond European curiosities in Japan, provides a lot of light entertainment in this very readable book.
Well worth a read for anyone interested in Japan.
His self-confessed urge to try the strangest foods available means that the accent is on the exotic, and we don't get a very balanced view of what most Japanese usually eat in everyday life... but with his background as a trained chef he conveys his appreciation of many of the particular ingredients and techniques used in Japanese cuisine.
The presence of his two young sons on the trip, being such blond European curiosities in Japan, provides a lot of light entertainment in this very readable book.
Well worth a read for anyone interested in Japan.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fantastically enjoyable read
I was utterly bereft when I finished this book, it was very entertaining, informative, funny & honest. Read more
Published 11 months ago by C. J. Summer
an entertaining feast of typos
Could have been an interesting and informative read, but the book lacks credibility as it is littered with laugh out loud typos and grammatical errors throughout, particularly in... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Savethetigers
Very entertaining and informative
I am an amateur sushi chef (well I've made it a few times !) and aspire to visit Japan before I die, so I bought this book to learn more about Japanese cuisine. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Dr. Jane M. Mckenzie
Sushi & Beyond
After reading "Sacré Cordon Bleu" ("Cooking without Delia"- as it was renamed), I think it is very difficult for Michael Booth to better his writing. Read more
Published on 12 April 2010 by J. A. Oreardon
Really enjoyable and interesting read
If you're interested in Japanese culture and cuisine then you'll find this a brilliant read. I just found it all fascinating, really well written, funny in parts and learnt loads... Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2009 by L. Sharp
Inspiring eye-opener on Japanese food
If you've read the previous book by Booth on French food (Sacre Cordon Bleu), you will appreciate that Sushi and Beyond is equally entertaining and well written. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by Corto
So Far From Japan?
Don't get me wrong, this is a fun read. if you want to read how someone can sway between being a family man and a food vigilante, lost on the streets of Japan and desperate for... Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2009 by Johanus Parr reviewer
Sushi!!!
This is an absolutly brillient book and I recomend it to any one, sushi fan or not. I bought this book on a saturday after 5 minutes of deciding thinking it would take me a while... Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2009 by Geek girl
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