Issenberg, Sasha

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Issenberg, Sasha

PERSONAL:

Male.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Philadelphia, PA. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer, journalist. Philadelphia magazine, Philadelphia, PA, writer-at-large; George magazine, previously served as a contributing editor.

WRITINGS:

The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy, Gotham Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor to periodicals, including Washington Monthly, Slate, George, and Boston.

SIDELIGHTS:

Sasha Issenberg is a Philadelphia-based writer and journalist, whose work appears regularly in Philadelphia magazine, where he works as a writer-at-large. He has also contributed articles on politics, business, and culture for various publications, including Slate, Washington Monthly, Inc., and Boston, and has both written and served as a contributing editor for George. Issenberg's first book, The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy, grew out of an assignment for a Philadelphia article, and was published by Gotham Books in 2007.

In The Sushi Economy, Issenberg takes a look at the history of sushi and its recent growth into a popular food choice around the world at every economic level, from elegant and pricey meals at four-star restaurants to quick take-out lunch options at company cafeterias. Issenberg addresses the question of how sushi, which originated in Japan, became such a global commodity, and also looks at the evolution of the meal and the different ways it has developed due to influences from various countries as its popularity increased. Sushi first spread globally from Canada, when a Japanese businessman saw a fortune to be made with the North Atlantic bluefin tuna that fishermen were discarding at the time. By introducing the concept of using this fish for sushi, he catapulted North America into the sushi business. Issenberg goes on to address how technology, particularly refrigeration and the ability to quickly freeze fish to extremely cold temperatures, further encouraged the spread of sushi's popularity. Historically, sushi was originally designed as a means of preserving fish for a longer period of time, and involved a fermentation process with rice. The more modern, quickly prepared sushi that is served today, has its origins in the nineteenth century. Sushi was introduced to a more global audience in the twentieth century thanks to refrigeration and swift means of transportation, as fish could suddenly be flown from the region where it was caught to a region where it would be served all in a single day, traveling frozen or at an acceptably cold temperature.

Issenberg explains that, while there is a general assumption that fine quality sushi must by necessity be made from fresh fish, in reality much of the fish that is used in sushi preparation has been frozen at some point, and in many cases must be frozen in order to maintain the proper level of freshness and to prevent the growth of bacteria, in keeping with the various laws that regulate the handling and preparation of food. In an interview with Sara Dickerman on the Slate Web site, he remarked that "it depends where you're eating and what time of year and what you're paying for it. But if you're eating American-style fast food sushi—sushi at the mall food court—it's overwhelmingly frozen." Issenberg also addresses questions regarding the different styles of sushi and the outside influences that have resulted in different types of sushi developing through the years. The more recent popularity of sushi in the United States has caused a general impression that Americans have therefore influenced the shape and taste of sushi the world over, based on what types of fish they prefer and other factors. However, as far back as World War Two, when American troops occupied Japan, American tastes have proved influential. He told Dickerman: "I think there's this myth—not only with sushi but with most food—that there's this path that existed before commerce and global influence…. But if you look at the story of sushi, it never existed without commerce. It started with fast food and the big commercial industrial city, Tokyo, in the mid-19th century. It grew as Tokyo became the capital of one of the world's dominant economic powers." The fast-food characteristic of sushi as we know it today began in Japan, where it was handmade by vendors manning street carts—not through any American predisposition toward fast-food restaurants.

Issenberg continues to discuss the more obvious American influences on the cuisine, including California and Philadelphia rolls. He then goes on to address health issues pertaining to sushi, such as which fish tends to contain more mercury, and the types of regulations that apply to seafood and how they affect sushi in particular. Hand in hand with that, he looks at how the popularity of sushi has contributed to depleted numbers of certain kinds of fish. On the other side of the health issue, he addresses some of the misinformation regarding sushi's caloric content and whether it is a suitable diet food.

The Sushi Economy received warm reviews overall. Hansjakob Werlen, writing for History: Review of New Books, observed that "Issenberg has an intellectual and visceral connection to sushi, and in the book, the historian's penchant for factual presentation is balanced by the novelist's eye for descriptive detail, mostly to good and humorous effect." Courtney Green, writing for Library Journal, remarked of the book: "It makes enjoying sushi not only a delight for the palate but also a thought-provoking repast for the mind."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Christian Science Monitor, July 24, 2007, "Sushi and the Global Economy," p. 16.

Dallas Morning News, May 13, 2007, "If You Knew Sushi Like He Knows Sushi: FOOD: Author Goes beyond the Refrigerator Case for the Raw Story about Tuna Industry."

Food Service Director, June 15, 2007, "If You Know Sushi … Then You Know It's Become Almost as Popular as Hot Dogs and Apple Pie. Here's How Some Venues Do It," p. 45.

History: Review of New Books, September 22, 2007, Hansjakob Werlen, review of The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy, p. 35.

Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2007, review of The Sushi Economy, p. 207.

Library Journal, May 1, 2007, Courtney Greene, review of The Sushi Economy, p. 98.

Philadelphia Inquirer, March 30, 2007, "Sushi: A Fusion Cuisine That Illustrates Globalization."

Publishers Weekly, February 19, 2007, review of The Sushi Economy, p. 155.

Reason, November 1, 2007, "The Day of the Flying Fish: Globalization and the Making of Modern Sushi," p. 62.

Seafood Business, March 1, 2007, "Sushi 101," p. 12.

Talk of the Nation, July 31, 2007, "Dissecting a Delicacy: The Story of Sushi"

U.S. News & World Report, May 28, 2007, "The Lessons of Sushi," p. 12.