I knew that ServSafe certificate would come in handy! :Djay_m_elleFebruary 16 2009, 10:30:40 UTC
Agreed- anisakis and pseudoterranova decipiens (cod worms) definitely live in saltwater fish. (However, they don't generally live in fish that are used for sushi, and the parasites are generally only harmful if you eat one alive. Cooking and freezing will kill them.) Hepatitis A is found in shellfish such as oysters and mussels (hence why restaurants are required to keep the shellfish tags for 90 days- hep A symptoms can take a while to show up.)
To the OP: that being said, you are more likely to be hit by lightning than actually getting a parasite that will make you really sick. Any fish market worth its salt will not hide where their fish came from and exactly what species it is. You are even less likely to contract a parasite from larger species like yellowtail or ahi tuna. Just to be on the safe side, make sure it's been flash frozen. Better safe than sorry.
I recommend trying to find a Japanese or other Asian Market, they usually have Sushi grade fish. I don't know what availability is like where you are though, since I've lived my adult life no more than an hour from the pacific coast.
I live in San Diego and I can vouch for the wonderful availability of sushi and sashimi grade fish...I can rattle off a half dozen places within 5 miles of here that sell really good fish.
You definitely do not want to use frozen fish from the store unless it is labeled sashimi grade. But since sashimi grade needs to be at least briefly flash-frozen anyway, you can order it online and have it shipped frozen or chilled to you, though it isn't cheap. I know this place will do it at least, though I've never ordered from them, having local places instead.
I've ordered from Catalina before. The shipping was $50! (to Indiana) Next time I'm going to get a group of people to order and we can all split the shipping cost. Otherwise they sell some frozen sashimi tuna here at Marsh. Surprisingly, our local Asian market doesn't carry sushi grade fish.
This is true -- seared tuna has become popular enough that sashimi grade can be found in some standard grocery stores, it's worth calling around to the locals.
Otherwise, I think that the poster is going to be stuck with either mail order or driving to Madison or Milwaukee. They both have Whole Foods, where you can generally get at least sushi grade tuna and yellowtail, and Madison has at least one Japanese market that sells sashimi grade.
The United States government happens to believe that fish that has been flash-frozen to about 20 below zero is actually safer than fresh fish and there are several mail-order organizations here in The United States that will ship you vacuum-packed, flash-frozen fish. So if you don't have a fishmonger like this, you can certainly consider that an option. Just don't tell him I said that, okay? - Wake Up Little Sushi, Wake Up, Good Eats, Alton Brown.
Probably would be safe with that, if you can't get fresh fish (and truthfully, I live in Ohio. I'd do the flash frozen route).
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sashimi is only for saltwater fish.
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To the OP: that being said, you are more likely to be hit by lightning than actually getting a parasite that will make you really sick. Any fish market worth its salt will not hide where their fish came from and exactly what species it is. You are even less likely to contract a parasite from larger species like yellowtail or ahi tuna. Just to be on the safe side, make sure it's been flash frozen. Better safe than sorry.
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Otherwise, I think that the poster is going to be stuck with either mail order or driving to Madison or Milwaukee. They both have Whole Foods, where you can generally get at least sushi grade tuna and yellowtail, and Madison has at least one Japanese market that sells sashimi grade.
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It's to a degree that it would probably be cheaper for me to just have it shipped here. It would be at least a 3 hour drive down there.
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Probably would be safe with that, if you can't get fresh fish (and truthfully, I live in Ohio. I'd do the flash frozen route).
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