Most Wasabi Is Fake [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#131

Post by pzone » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 1:33 PM UTC

ericdykstra wrote: post #20

I can get a chunk of wasabi for about $6 at my local greengrocer in Tokyo. Unless you plan on eating a lot of sashimi at home within the next few days, though, it’s not practical since it goes bad much faster than the tube stuff. The taste is substantially better than the fake stuff, but it doesn’t really matter if you’re eating at a cheap place that doesn’t properly prepare the nigiri rice.

Local asian grocery store was selling chunks of wasabi for ~$60 here in Boston, as of yesterday. Pricing was like $120/lb.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#132

Post by bpicolo » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 1:34 PM UTC

dragonwriter wrote: post #38

asn0 wrote: post #18

After many years of peak wasabi use (i.e. highest saturation possible) at Japanese restaurants in the US, I had a chance to eat sushi while on a trip to Shanghai. I don't know if Chinese wasabi is more real or not, but quickly learned it had at least 10x more sinus-cleaning power than US wasabi. That was also the first place where I had 'not possible to be any fresher' sushi - orders were placed at the fish tanks on…

> That was also the first place where I had 'not possible to be any fresher' sushi - orders were placed at the fish tanks on the first floor, restaurant was upstairs. While I won't question your description of the freshness, I would point out that that set up would also work as a hack to suggest freshness regardless of where the ingredients that actually go into your food are sourced.

Supremely fresh seafood is drastically cheaper and more accessible in Shanghai than in anywhere in the US. You can hop over to any local grocer / wet market and find a half dozen varieties of live shrimp, eel, fish, etc.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#133

Post by axaxs » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 1:37 PM UTC

euske wrote: post #77

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.

I agree with the last sentiment, but it's by no means just HN. It's prevalent anywhere on the internet, and to a lesser extent, in real conversation.

Is there a name for the specific phenomenon of speaking highly of something solely because it's semi rare or exclusive, especially in the area you're in? Is it a subtle form of bragging?

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#134

Post by notyourday » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 1:43 PM UTC

seszett wrote: post #127

notyourday wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is today as described in wikipedia Truffle oil can be produced using any oil. Common versions use olive oil, or a more neutral flavorless oil such as canola or grapeseed oil.[6] Some truffle oils are made with truffle residues incurred during collection or preparation for sale. Many truffle oils sold in retail markets are not made from truffles[1] but instead use manufactured aromatic compounds including 2,4-dit…

Well, this does say that " some truffle oils are made with truffle residues ". Now maybe this is rare in the US, but at least in France it's the only kind of oil that is allowed to be called truffle oil (well, "huile à la truffe"). It could be called "olive oil with truffle taste" otherwise ("huile d'olive/tournesol/colza au goût truffe"). It's really not difficult to find here, and it is absolutely made with real tr…

Alright. We probably just have different views on what could/should be called "real". I apologize for the categorical statement I made before.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#135

Post by peterwwillis » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 2:08 PM UTC

unwind wrote: post #117

peterwwillis wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

derefr has a great explanation of traditional vs proper vs authentic. But on Why do only some cuisines have such constraints? , that's probably just down to culture. Prescribing how a dish is made expresses a deep cultural identity through food, even if that food has evolved greatly over time. You might be able to change a dish and even improve its flavor, but it would no longer be that culture's food. Now, why do on…

Drip coffee, of course, is the default method in many places. Paper filters were invented in Germany. Really interesting how you feel burgers are less than "real" in other places.

Yes, coffee is made in many different ways around the world. The French, for example, only drink drip coffee at home. The Viennese famously have it strong with whipped cream. Much of the Mediterranean uses an Ottoman-derived concentrated boil method. Trying to find a drip coffee in these places, and many other countries, can be quite difficult.

It's not interesting, it's just true.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#136

Post by JoeAltmaier » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 2:14 PM UTC

OJFord wrote: post #123

Ozzie_osman wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Baby carrots are not, in fact, small carrots. They are misshapen carrots that would not sell unless they were carved into "baby carrots".

I've heard this online a few times, but it doesn't gel with my experience shopping at all; I suppose it must be a regional thing. In the UK the closest I've seen or heard of are both 'real' (whole) carrots: Chantenay - https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-chantenay-ca... 'Baby topped' - https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-1-baby-toppe...

I remember a video of a processing plant that 'lathed down' regular carrots to make baby carrots. I always thought that's what they were. Since nobody buys big carrots any more, pretty much all carrots are made into baby carrots. Because they sell.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#137

Post by JoeAltmaier » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 2:15 PM UTC

atomical wrote: post #15

At what point does fake become the real thing? Do people really aspire to more than they are getting? At some point _pure_ becomes obnoxious.

Just a truth-in-labelling thing. Not obnoxious; its consumer protection.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#138

Post by cbluth » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 2:34 PM UTC

Ozzie_osman wrote: post #31

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…

Baby carrots are not, in fact, small carrots. They are misshapen carrots that would not sell unless they were carved into "baby carrots".

I have an image in my mind of a carrot carved into the shape of a baby

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#139

Post by phonypc » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 2:39 PM UTC

graphitezepp wrote: post #118

moopling wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the story that lobsters used to be peasant food before they became rare, and that it was limited in how frequently it could be fed to prisoners except as a "cruel and unusual" punishment.

It wasn't they became rare, it was ubiquitous refrigeration that made them popular. It was prison food because it was basically spoiled.

You typically keep lobster alive until cooking, I don't see refrigeration changing much.

Re: Most Wasabi Is Fake [video]

#140

Post by auiya » Thu, Mar 21, 2019, 3:07 PM UTC

doktrin wrote: post #108

CaptainZapp wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was wondering when reading the previous replies because I totally agree with you. Freshly grated real Wasabi, in my opinion, is much more subtle and deep (and slightly sweeter) than the ersatz stuff that comes in tubes or as powder. My guess is that the benchmark for most people is the fake stuff and thus they find real wasabi strange and probably too mild. What I also learned in high class sushi places is that you…

> you NEVER dunk the rice into a mixture of soja-sauce and wasabi (no matter if real or not) why not?

The rice is seasoned using rice vinegar, sugar, and salt; and done to compliment fish or whatever is draped over it. Dunking it into a bowl of soy/wasabi negates the flavors of both. Typically if wasabi is served, it's done as a tiny smear between fish and rice, and the top of the fish will be lightly painted with what ever soy-based sauce the chef chooses. This way the flavor of the rice and it's seasonings is preserved.