On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 459

The best-known version is funa-zushi, made with rice and goldfish carp Carassius auratus from Lake Biwa, north of Kyoto.. Various bacteria consume the rice carbohydrates and produce a ra

modern sushi (p 207) The best-known

version is funa-zushi, made with rice and

goldfish carp (Carassius auratus) from Lake

Biwa, north of Kyoto Various bacteria

consume the rice carbohydrates and produce a range of organic acids that protect against

spoilage, soften the head and backbone, and contribute to the characteristic tart and rich flavor, which has vinegary, buttery, and

cheesy notes In modern sushi, made with

pristinely fresh raw fish, the tartness of

narezushi survives through the addition of

vinegar to the rice

Scandinavian Buried Fish: Gravlax

According to food ethnologist Astri Riddervold, Scandinavian fermented fishes — the original gravlax, Swedish surlax and sursild, Norwegian rakefisk and rakørret —

were probably the result of a simple dilemma facing medieval fisherman at remote rivers,

lakes, and coastlines, who landed many fish but had little salt and few barrels The solution was to salt the cleaned fish lightly and bury them where they had been caught, in

a hole in the ground, perhaps wrapped in birch

bar k: gravlax means “buried salmon.” The

low summer temperature of the far northern earth, the airlessness, minimal salt, and added carbohydrates (from the bark, or from whey, malted barley, or flour), all conspired to encourage a lactic fermentation that acidified the fish surface And enzymes from the fish muscle and the bacteria broke protein and fish oil down to produce a buttery texture and

powerful, sharp, cheesy smell: the sur in sursild and surlax means “sour.”

Modern, unfermented gravlax is made by dry-salting salmon fillets for a few days at refrigerator temperatures (p 233)

Smoked Fish