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Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

theatlantic.com

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Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#71

Post by gotocake »

jacobolus wrote: post #68
gotocake wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with most “truffle oil” is that it’s truly vile, and if you put it next to actual truffle infused oil no one would confuse the two. The problem is that so few people have actually had truffles, never mind truffle infused oil to know. To a greater or lesser extent the same is true for vanilla, although far more people have had the real deal as a reference point. Still vanillin is artificial, but hardly a t…

What do you think a good use for cassia cinnamon is? Those little hard candies? Maybe it’s just that I spent a lot of time in Mexico growing up, but I think ceylon cinnamon is better for every purpose I can think of. I wouldn’t describe it as “floral” though. My impression is that cassia cinnamon is usually used because it is cheaper.

Definitely ideal for hot candies, and it’s good to add some kick to baked goods. Personally I’m a huge fan of using Ceylon and cassia in the same application to round out the flavor. Cassia is cheaper, but it’s not like it’s the difference between true and fake wasabi.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#72

Post by hristov »

tptacek wrote: post #5

In high-end Japanese restaurants, you can often get real wasabi (it'll be listed at the bottom of the menu). My experience with it has been that it's usually coarser, more watery, and less pungent than the "standard" wasabi. I do not prefer it; whatever combination of horseradish and mustard restaurants default to is, I think, the better product. If I was eating wasabi on its own and trying to, I don't know, apprecia…

That maybe real but is it real and fresh? If it is mixed from the freeze dried stuff it will lose a lot of its flavor. As the article says, wasabi loses its taste quickly.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#73

Post by tptacek »

jacobolus wrote: post #68
gotocake wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with most “truffle oil” is that it’s truly vile, and if you put it next to actual truffle infused oil no one would confuse the two. The problem is that so few people have actually had truffles, never mind truffle infused oil to know. To a greater or lesser extent the same is true for vanilla, although far more people have had the real deal as a reference point. Still vanillin is artificial, but hardly a t…

What do you think a good use for cassia cinnamon is? Those little hard candies? Maybe it’s just that I spent a lot of time in Mexico growing up, but I think ceylon cinnamon is better for every purpose I can think of. I wouldn’t describe it as “floral” though. My impression is that cassia cinnamon is usually used because it is cheaper.

That may have been why it was used originally, but it's also used now because it's what people expect from cinnamon flavor; it's stronger than ceylon.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#74

Post by tptacek »

gotocake wrote: post #69
tptacek wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get A5 wagyu all over the place in the US. The "tell" that you're looking at fake "kobe beef" is when you could take the dish and swap "kobe" for "angus" and the dish would still make sense; so, for instance, a "kobe burger" always going to be silly and shady, and nobody would ever buy "certified angus nigiri".

I’d add that if you don’t like ultra-rare beer then it’s kind of a waste. I’m not a fan of anything that isn’t medium, and by that temp a lot of the fine marbling is effectively lost. In short, when I finally had some real A5 I realized it was totally wasted on me. If you liked carpaccio though, it would probably be amazing. I think too often people attach value judgements to grades or things, to wine and the like, w…

There's a chapter in "The Man Who Ate Everything" (which is excellent) about "Kobe", and you could sum it up as: it's a good product that is not simply a "better version" of other steaks, and if not prepared specially (as in, in dishes designed for A5 beef), it's pretty much a waste.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#75

Post by tptacek »

hristov wrote: post #72
tptacek wrote: post #5

In high-end Japanese restaurants, you can often get real wasabi (it'll be listed at the bottom of the menu). My experience with it has been that it's usually coarser, more watery, and less pungent than the "standard" wasabi. I do not prefer it; whatever combination of horseradish and mustard restaurants default to is, I think, the better product. If I was eating wasabi on its own and trying to, I don't know, apprecia…

That maybe real but is it real and fresh? If it is mixed from the freeze dried stuff it will lose a lot of its flavor. As the article says, wasabi loses its taste quickly.

Yes, in a high-end Japanese restaurant, the "real" wasabi is fresh-grated.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#76

Post by VirtualAirwaves »

lainga wrote: post #42
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #3

So is most truffle oil. Canned reindeer meat in the Nordic countries can be up to 40% pork. Budget-brand soy sauce might actually be "soy sauce powder" mixed with water, as opposed to something straightforwardly brewed. If you travel the developing world, you may find that what is sold as chocolate actually has no cacao in it. Lots and lots of disappointments out there in the food world. I find reading labels careful…

>Budget-brand soy sauce might actually be "soy sauce powder" mixed with water, as opposed to something straightforwardly brewed. Is this because brewed soy sauce isn't Halal? ED: why the downvotes? That's a legitimate reason for why vinegar in most chip shops is actually "non-brewed condiment". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=642x2Y3Zla0

Grape/wine vinegar (usually) isn't Kosher either.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#77

Post by euske »

There are a dozen tubed wasabi products in Japan that are categorized by its quality. 100% native wasabi produced in Japan, imported wasabi, 50% wasabi and horseradish mixture, and so on.

But I found the degree of snobbery people show on HN (especially for Japanese products) amusing.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#78

Post by berbec »

tru3_power wrote: post #24
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #3

So is most truffle oil. Canned reindeer meat in the Nordic countries can be up to 40% pork. Budget-brand soy sauce might actually be "soy sauce powder" mixed with water, as opposed to something straightforwardly brewed. If you travel the developing world, you may find that what is sold as chocolate actually has no cacao in it. Lots and lots of disappointments out there in the food world. I find reading labels careful…

Another one is Kobe beef. Real Kobe beef is from the city of Kobe in Japan and is only served in a handful of resturaunts in the US (I think 1 in NYC and a few in LV). So next time you see Kobe beef on the menu- you know it’s most likely a lie.

I got Wagu at Morimoto's in Philly. I've never had beef I could cut with my tongue.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#79

Post by nkozyra »

jacobolus wrote: post #52
nkozyra wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> properly What does this mean, really? This always strikes me as snobbery signaling. Perhaps it's traditional, but does that make it "proper?" Why do only some cuisines have such constraints on what is "proper" or "authentic?"

Most “improperly” prepared sushi is not intentionally aiming for something new, but is just mediocre (or bad, depending on your standards), I would guess typically because the chef doesn’t know what they are doing, or maybe because the restaurant is cutting corners to save time/money. Poorly prepared rice is usually the most obvious problem. Imagine you order a medium rare steak and it’s overcooked and much too salty…

But we're not talking about subjective appreciation of the final product, we're talking about ornamental attributes.

A medium steak can be done "properly" and still suck, it's still a steak

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#80

Post by kalleboo »

hristov wrote: post #72
tptacek wrote: post #5

In high-end Japanese restaurants, you can often get real wasabi (it'll be listed at the bottom of the menu). My experience with it has been that it's usually coarser, more watery, and less pungent than the "standard" wasabi. I do not prefer it; whatever combination of horseradish and mustard restaurants default to is, I think, the better product. If I was eating wasabi on its own and trying to, I don't know, apprecia…

That maybe real but is it real and fresh? If it is mixed from the freeze dried stuff it will lose a lot of its flavor. As the article says, wasabi loses its taste quickly.

When I've had it (at a chain restaurant), it's been served like this - a bit of root and you grate it yourself https://i.imgur.com/oApgDKG.jpg

Of course it could still have been frozen beforehand and I wouldn't know.

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