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

Japanesenarezushi,theoriginalformof
modernsushi(p.207).Thebest-known
versionisfuna-zushi,madewithriceand
goldfishcarp(Carassiusauratus)fromLake
Biwa,northofKyoto.Variousbacteria
consumethericecarbohydratesandproducea
rangeoforganicacidsthatprotectagainst
spoilage,softentheheadandbackbone,and
contributetothecharacteristictartandrich
flavor,whichhasvinegary,buttery,and
cheesynotes.Inmodernsushi,madewith
pristinelyfreshrawfish,thetartnessof
narezushisurvivesthroughtheadditionof
vinegartotherice.
Scandinavian Buried Fish: Gravlax
According to food ethnologist Astri
Riddervold,Scandinavianfermentedfishes—
the originalgravlax, Swedishsurlax and
sursild, Norwegianrakefisk andrakørret —
wereprobablytheresultofasimpledilemma
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
andburythemwheretheyhadbeencaught,in
aholeintheground,perhapswrappedinbirch
bark:gravlax means “buried salmon.” The
low summer temperature of the far northern
earth,theairlessness,minimalsalt,andadded

carbohydrates (from the bark, or from whey,
malted barley, or flour), all conspired to
encouragealacticfermentationthatacidified
the fish surface. And enzymes from the fish
muscleandthebacteriabrokeproteinandfish
oil down to produce a buttery texture and
powerful, sharp, cheesy smell: thesur in
sursildandsurlaxmeans“sour.”
Modern,unfermentedgravlaxismadeby
dry-saltingsalmonfilletsforafewdaysat
refrigeratortemperatures(p.233).
SmokedFish