Bridge Club Oakland thought that Lewanna’s (JA 2019) idea to make the well-known California Roll was perfect for the “Omoiyari Bites: BRIDGING Cultures, One Rice Dish at a Time” activity since it was named after our home state of California. Rice was introduced to California during the California Gold Rush in the 1850-60s by the Chinese immigrants and now California is the second largest rice growing state in the US.  The California Roll is a Japanese American fusion dish using Japanese sushi techniques and American ingredients and its origin can be traced to the 1960s in California. The California Roll was invented to use the ingredients familiar to the American palate while still maintaining the essence of traditional sushi. Avocado has a buttery texture and a rich flavor so it is used as a substitute for the fatty toro commonly used in sushi.

Although we had all enjoyed eating the California Roll, none of us had ever made it ourselves.