About the book

Sushi. Food for the eye, the body & the soul in a single volume, packed with anecdotes and illustrations, presents an insight into the art and science of sushi, one of the most successful translations of Asian food culture into modern globalized cuisine. It combines an overview of the origins and cultural history of sushi with background information on the gastroscience and health benefits associated with this marvellous food and practical advice on its preparation and enjoyment.
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Praise

“With the passion of a connoisseur, the insight of a scientist, and the curiosity of a writer, Ole Mouritsen offers this exquisite meditation on sushi, including its meaning, the art of preparing, eating, and serving it, the health benefits it imparts, and its role in ancient and contemporary Japan.”
− Victoria Abbott Riccardi, author of Untangling My Chopsticks: A Culinary Sojourn in Kyoto

“As a lifelong enthusiast who has eaten, studied, and sought to construct great sushi − from traditional to modern − I was extremely impressed by this wonderful book.  It is clear that serious research, as well as much imagination, went into every page. It has become my new `go-to’ bible when I need a shot of inspiration.”
− Ken Oringer, internationally renowned and award-winning chef  Clio Restaurant, Uni Sashimi Bar, Boston

“Ole Mouritsen’s engrossing book focuses on sushi in its minutest details, but zooms out for extended looks at everything from the tea ceremony and Japanese aesthetics to the biology of nutrition and perception and the origins of life. It’s a treatise to consult for its wealth of practical information, and to browse in for the diverting thoughts of an omnivorous mind.”
− Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking. The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

“I wish to express my profound delight and thanks!!  Congratulations on writing such an aesthetically beautiful, informative and inspiring book. As a scientist studying membrane transporter biophysics, I was delighted to see how successfully you blended in the science, which is often (regrettably) lacking in most cookbooks!! … I shall not hesitate to recommend your book to those colleagues, who like me, are fascinated by sushi and who will surely be captivated, like me, turning every page.”
−  Dr Ian C. Forster, Senior Research Scientist, Instutute of Physiology, University of Zurich

Special features

  • More than 400 illustrations, most of them in color
  • 41 original watercolour images
  • 9 essays  and 22 expositions on the science of cooking
  • 44 recipes for sushi and accompanying dishes
  • Extensive glossary of Japanese terms and scientific terminology
  • Comprehensive bibliography and index

The people behind the book

*Ole G. Mouritsen is a professor of biophysics in Denmark with a long-standing interest in gastronomy and its scientific basis.
*
Jonas Drotner Mouritsen is a graphic designer and founder of Chromascope.
*Tove Nyberg is a bioanalyst and an enthusiastic watercolour artist.
*Mariela Johansen is a fellow sushi aficionada, has Danish roots, and lives in Vancouver.


  • Mouritsen, Ole G.: Sushi: Food for the Eye, the Body & the Soul
    Springer; New York
    1st English ed., 2009, 360pp, 429 illus., 397 in color., Hardcover
    ISBN: 978-1-4419-0617-5


    At the over-matured sushi
    the Master
    is full of regret

    - Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)