The Culinary Origins of The California Roll

In a savory episode of the Mental Floss series Food History, host Justin Dodd uses information from the Sarah Lohman book Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine to describe the history of Japanese food in the mainland United States, particularly sushi and the famous “California Roll”.

California rolls are a well-known type of sushi in the United States, but how does it differ from Japanese cuisine? …On today’s episode, we break down the history of California rolls and the impact of Japanese culture on the American palate.

History of California Roll

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.