Catching bluefin tuna with a kayak

Catching bluefin tuna with a kayak Hey, I have an idea: all fishermen around the world can only catch things with kayaks. No more factory trawlers, no more high-tech depth sounders and plotters, just you, your rod, and your kayak. Solves the overfishing dilemma right there.

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Japan National Broadcasting’s International Morning News reports on my efforts to educate Americans about the plight of the bluefin tuna and show them the many other types of delicious sushi that are more traditional. (Aired Nov. 2, 2009; selections.)

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The Surprising History of Tuna in Japan

Today, bluefin tuna is considered the pinnacle of fine sushi, especially bluefin toro–the fatty belly cuts of the fish. This is kind of funny, because just a few decades ago the Japanese considered toro such a disgusting part of the tuna that the only people who would eat it were impoverished manual laborers. And prior…

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Beware the Samurai Sushi Chef

In this post on The Atlantic, I ponder whether the most influential Japanese chef in America might actually have been … John Belushi. (Includes great video of Belushi’s “Samurai Deli” skit on SNL.)

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You should read “The Secret Life of Lobsters” by Trevor Corson. An amazing book. Lobster sex is a great metaphor for life. For reals. Mary Beth Bass, “paranormal, contemporary, and historical romance novelist” on Twitter. Finally, a woman who understands me.

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What’s With the Mean Sushi Chefs?

Some days I think the most influential Japanese chef in America might actually have been John Belushi. If you’ve seen Belushi’s “Samurai Delicatessen” skit, originally performed on Saturday Night Live in 1976, you’ll remember him channeling a touchy Japanese chef, perpetually on the verge of violence, who screamed out loud while slicing ingredients with a…

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More sex and violence than “True Blood”?

The book “The Secret Life of Lobsters” has more sex and violence in it that most episodes of True Blood, and has the added benefit of being slightly less embarrassing to trot out in conversation. Sports Blog Nation Wait, less embarrassing? Anyway, I love this. Sports Blog Nation uses The Secret Life of Lobsters as…

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From Russia with Love

“The name’s Kopcoh,” I said. “TpeBop Kopcoh.” I turned my eyes on the bartender and ordered a medium dry martini with a lemon peel, shaken, not stirred. Then I leveled my gaze on the man next to me. He was a Russian agent. Like me. “Finally we meet,” he said. He picked up a menu.…

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