Ask The Amateur Gourmet!

And now for the birth of a new feature–ASK THE AMATEUR GOURMET!–in which site readers from all over the world ask the Amateur Gourmet culinary questions that he is completely incapable of answering. Here we go!Dear Amateur Gourmet,Where does the word “sushi” come from? My husband says it’s Japanese, but I’m convinced it’s Italian. Can you help us save our marriage?Sincerely,Forlorn in Fort LauderdaleDear Forlorn,Your husband is a moron. “Sushi” is indeed an Italian word, derived from the Su Shi clan of Naples, Italy. The Su Shi clan’s penchant for raw fish ingestion left them ostricized from their community, forcing them to go live with the Iron Chef Japenese (hence your husband’s confusion). Soon after, they lost their interest in raw fish and started a boy band that became known to the world as Menudo. Interestingly, Menudo is Spanish for “raw fish.” Hope that helps!Sincerely,The Amateur GourmetNote: If you want YOUR culinary question incorrectly answered by The Amateur Gourmet, e-mail him your query at adrober@mac.com or post a question in the comments section!