Question:
I heard a history of sushi that said it was made popular by an emperor of Japan. The Emperor was looking for some food to eat while playing cards but didn’t want the food to get his cards dirty. True?
— John
Response:
I believe there may be some confusion between the beginnings of sushi and the popularization of the sandwich. The Earl of Sandwich in England, by the name of John Montagu, was said to be partial to sandwiches because it allowed him to play cards without taking a break.
It may well be that sushi was popularized for a similar reason; however, our research does not turn up any Earl OR emperor connection with the history of sushi. The earliest documented use appears to be related to the preservation of food first, and second to the creation of a ‘finger food.’ Check a few of these links that we find helpful:
wikipedia.org – history of sushi and wikipedia.org – Hanaya Yohei
Happy sushi eating, no matter what!
