"Informative, lovingly illustrated. Starting with the medieval period and moving into the contemporary era, this comprehensive and very readable volume is best accompanied with a plate of sushi (and perhaps some sake) nearby. Oishii means 'delicious,' and this describes the book from both a culinary and a visual perspective. The book is dotted with recipes, from the simple Five Lord's Soup ('Finely dice pickled fish and meat on a cutting board. Add water and boil. Use this as the basis for soup stock.') to minnow sushi--for those with access to minnows, it's ready to eat in one day--and how to select the right mackerel to avoid dried-out flesh. Complementing these are more contemporary recipes for home cooks, archival photographs and woodblock prints, and mouthwatering closeups of prepared sushi, making Oishii an enlightening treat for the senses.

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