White tuna = Albacore?
HAEMUL
No & Yes. I think.
No, because albacore is not white tuna("shiro-maguro") when served for
sashimi/sushi. According to one of previous posts by The Seafood Advisor,
it is "binnaga" or "tonbo" in Japanese before cutting for sushi or sashimi.
Then it will be served as maguro(tuna): otoro, chutoro, or akami.
Yes, albacore is referred to as white tuna when canned because their red flesh
when cooked turns "white" than other tunas. Thus the confusion, whenever
albacore is mentioned(I speculate) it is immediately perceived as "white tuna".
Whether a novice/inept/"lead-you-on" sushi chef regarded albacore as
"shiro-maguro" thinking this, I don't know.
Any Japanese-knowledgeable(capable of looking up Japanese dictionary) or
Japanese in this NG know if the term "shiro-maguro" exists or is used in Japan?
a...@axe.humboldt.edu
I think albacore is hamachi/Kanpachi, but I am not sure. I sometimes buy
a can of pacific "marchro (I am not sure this speling)" at local Safway. I
thought that was saba, but it tast like hamachi. I usually pour
rice vinegar in it and tast almost like shime-saba.
Aki
Lori Lee
<a...@axe.humboldt.edu> wrote:
>I think albacore is hamachi/Kanpachi, but I am not sure.
Albacore is a type of tuna. Hamachi is yellowtail, not a variety of
tuna. Kanpachi is a fish similar to a yellowtail, also not a type of
tuna.
>
>Aki
>
>
>On 25 Feb 1998, HAEMUL wrote:
>
>> No & Yes. I think.
>>
>> No, because albacore is not white tuna("shiro-maguro") when served for
>> sashimi/sushi. According to one of previous posts by The Seafood Advisor,
>> it is "binnaga" or "tonbo" in Japanese before cutting for sushi or sashimi.
>> Then it will be served as maguro(tuna): otoro, chutoro, or akami.
>>
>> Yes, albacore is referred to as white tuna when canned because their red flesh
>> when cooked turns "white" than other tunas. Thus the confusion, whenever
>> albacore is mentioned(I speculate) it is immediately perceived as "white tuna".
>> Whether a novice/inept/"lead-you-on" sushi chef regarded albacore as
>> "shiro-maguro" thinking this, I don't know.
>>
>> Any Japanese-knowledgeable(capable of looking up Japanese dictionary) or
>> Japanese in this NG know if the term "shiro-maguro" exists or is used in Japan?
>>
To quote the book "Sushi" by Mia Derrick
"Shiro Maguro (albacore). Albacore is the source of top-grade canned
tuna in the United States, where it's delicacy and excellent flavor
can scarcely be discerned midst the mayonnaise. Its Japanese name
means 'white tuna,' and albacore flesh ranges from rose to pale peach
in color. Its flavor is rich but not overbearing."
HAEMUL
> chil...@ix.netcom.com (Lori Lee)
wrote:
>To quote the book "Sushi" by Mia Derrick
>"Shiro Maguro (albacore). Albacore is the source of top-grade canned
>tuna in the United States, where it's delicacy and excellent flavor
>can scarcely be discerned midst the mayonnaise. Its Japanese name
>means 'white tuna,' and albacore flesh ranges from rose to pale peach
>in color. Its flavor is rich but not overbearing."
Yes, it is true according to the book.
She also says in the acknowledgements,
(snip)
...I went looking for a book on the art of eating sushi. Finding none, I
decided to write one myself and I spent the next months touring sushi bars from
Los Angeles to Vancouver,
quizzing dozens of chefs.....
(snip)
.....I am indebted to many people for the time and expertise they contributed
to this book.
It is a nice picturesque book based on hard survey work. I don't think it is a
book used as a reference by Japanese sushi restaurants . I wonder what the
knowledge and experience levels of each sushi chefs were in the survey. I am
sure there were very venerable experts and neophyte chefs.
I am wondering on the subject of "shiro maguro", none of the Japanese sushi
books in Japanese published in Japan(at least 5 books) mention it according to
friend of mine who speaks, reads, and writes Japanese at a native speaker
level.
Could it be a term used only in the states?
Can anybody help us?
Haemul