BBB and Kobe Beef?

Idlewild wrote: Ah Okay. I thought they restricted export for the same reason like they do their rice. Or do they ban export of their rice? maybe they ban import of outside rice.

Japan does not ban rice exports or Kobe beef exports. It originally banned the export of LIVE Kobe cattle, but has since rescinded that, which is why in fact the vast majority of the Kobe-breed "wagyu" cattle is actually raised here in the States. The Kobe cattle ranchers don't export their beef because in fact it is far more economical to raise cattle in the US than in Japan, so Japan imports nearly all of its beef, wagyu or otherwise. There was a ban for several years on beef imports from the US because of the mad cow disease scare, but that has since been lifted. During that time, Japan got most of its beef from Australia. The reason that Kobe beef is not generally exported to the US is purely economic--it's not profitable for either Japanese exporters or US importers to do mass market it. It is not, however, illegal, and once in a while a restaurant in the US, through a private connection, will obtain the real thing. Again, though, the "real thing" is primarily only different from the high grade "wagyu" raised here in that it's from Tajima prefecture in Japan, and it meets the very strict standards that the Kobe beef association over there sets. It's not a different breed nor is it raised very differently.

As for rice, Japan has gigantic import tariffs on rice (I think it goes up to 1000%), for the purpose of protecting its domestic rice growing industry. As a result, rice in Japan is rather expensive and it's hard to get other kinds of rice besides sushi rice. That being said, it genuinely is amazingly tasty rice, far better than any other sushi rice that I've had anywhere else.

in 2004... "Under World Trade Organization requirements, Japan imports at least 770,000 tons of rice a year. But nearly 90 percent of that is processed into rice crackers, soup paste and sauce."

"Imported rice, the most protected crop, is subject to tariffs of 490% and restricted to a quota of only 7.2% of average rice consumption in between 1968 and 1988"

Hmm.. I guess I was mistaken. It must be other grains or something I was thinking of..

Idlewild wrote: American Kobe is called Waygu, or some thing to that effect. I'm surprised the kobe industry hasn't gone after Waygu for copyright infringement.

Actually, American Kobe is called "waSYU" (wa-shu)　和州　　 as opposed to waGYU 和牛. SYU means "states" while GYU means beef.

ana.log wrote:

force fed beer several times per day instead of corn mash, although it is followed by a massage

I know a lot of people who could get used to that kind of life.

seriously. I mean, I realize that being forcefed anything is horrid. but damn. beer and massages? would only get better if we swapped beer for champagne. and smoked mozz. and jamon serrano.

FYI: I was at Bonnie's Saturday evening and observed a Kobe burger being offered on the daily specials menu for $14.95. I had already ordered so I didn't have a chance to have one.

Don't know if anyone saw this article on steak on Slate, but it's worth a read. Among other things, the article mentions how unusual Kobe style beef is, and how it should not be prepared like any other kind of beef--the flavor and texture are very different. The article also makes the great point that the marbling of steak is overrated as a barometer of its flavor, and that the food the cow eats is far more important. In a blind taste test, this group of critics found grass-fed, dry-aged beef to be the tastiest overall, although inconsistent, and naturally raised grain-fed, dry-aged beef to be a close second. Wagyu came in third.

http://www.slate.com/id/2152674/

Yeah, like I said I actually visited a cattle ranch in Kobe last spring and had a prime cut of the real thing. It was mouthwateringly delicious and I savored every bite. It truly is far, far different from, say, porterhouse or filet mignon. The flavor and aroma, texture, thickness, fat content, everything. I have to say I love both and I think it's a waste of time to compare b/c they're just so different.