What’s in an Avocado Roll?

• Avocado (duh)
• Sushi
• Rice Vinegar
• Nori Sheets
• Sesame seeds (sometimes)
• Soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger (optional)

Where Does Sushi Come From?

Sushi actually originated in China! Most people think that the dish originated in Japan, but a later and much more reinvented version is what we know Japanese sushi as today. It began in Chinese rice fields when rice and fish would be fermented and then mixed together to make either rolls, moulded pieces, or bowls. Japan was introduced to the idea and decided that they would instead add rice vinegar, more nori, sesame seeds, and usually a soy based sauce. Not only was the Japanese version of this dish made to include proteins other than fermented fish, but they began using proteins such as chicken, beef, fish roe, egg, and in even newer times (my personal favourite) the avocado.

Where Do Fresh Avocados Come From?

Avocados, although they may originate in Mexico, were first cultivated and used commercially in Rio Grande and Peru. The first known merchandising of avocados sent them by boat to the West Indies (Jamaica to be exact), and later showed them spreadint to more southern islands like the Phillipines and Malaya. During and after the Spanish conquest though, they were taken from Mexico as a resource to trade and sent to more Western and Eastern countries and cities such as modern day California and England and that’s how we hipsters in the PNW were first introduced to the fatty fruit (and why we now have accumulated enough to sustain our avo-toast needs forever).

Why Are They Important in a Historical Sense?

Avocados were first found in Mexico by the ancient Mesomexicans and Aztec peoples. The nutritional value of one avocado has more bioavailable protein than a 4 oz steak without the hassle of killing, skinning, disembowling, preparing, and chewing the meat of an animal. Coupling the sustaining and vastly available protein of the avocado with the vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and high calories it also carries, the avocado was seen as a lifeline to many of these people. The nutritional value of the avocado still holds very high standing even in modern western food, as it is a complete source of protein, easy to peel and later digest, and thanks to the cultivation of the plant, is now widely available virtually anywhere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_sushi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZXHvsdSX5w https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/avocado_ars.html https://www.avoseedo.com/a-brief-history-of-the-avocado/ https://avocadosfrommexico.com/avocados/history/