Who has had real wasabi?

[y_p_w]

I don't think I've ever had real wasabi. Obviously have had the kind of paste that either comes in a tube or is reconstituted from a powder. I also remember a time when some employees of our company based in Japan actually brought bunch of tubes and said anyone was welcome to one. I think it was just just House or S&B, so it was similar enough to what we could get in the United States. However, that's almost always horseradish and maybe a bit of hot mustard with food coloring. Possibly a tiny bit of real wasabit root.

There was an old topic on this, but like a lot of older topics it's closed when nobody responds in ages.

It used to be really hard to get real wasabi rhizhomes in the United States. The only place they were grown at the time was in certain parts of Japan where the techniques to grow them were highly guarded. I remember reading about a farm in Oregon that was working on it, and apparently they had someone from the closest Japanese consulate coming around and taking photos from outside the property. The story was that the farm had difficulty learning how to grow it. They had to have someone in Japan buy the books for them and translate, and there was no way the bookseller would have allowed the sale if the purpose was disclosed. But at this point there are several wasabi growers in the US and Canada.

This place (Half Moon Bay Wasabi) is the source for a lot of restaurants and some specialty markets:

https://hmbwasabi.com

I've seen some wasabi sold for about $80 a pound. I understand that it should be freshly grated or crushed and usually isn't combined with any other condiment. This video shows it more or less ground on a serving board with a rough surface.

 

[SC Maintenance]

My understanding is that most of the wasabi in Japan is "fake" also, as it is here in even the best Japanese restaurants.

I also think its like Ginger Root. You can get dried Ginger powder, but even if its real to start at that point it does't matter.

Pretty sure I have never had real wasabi.

 

[y_p_w]

My understanding is that most of the wasabi in Japan is "fake" also, as it is here in even the best Japanese restaurants.

Absolutely. Nearly all the tube/powder style wasabi paste is made in Japan. Real wasabi is very expensive in Japan and I've heard even expensive sushi restaurants will reserve it for the most expensive items.

 

[skyactiv]

I bought it in a tube when I was into anime half a lifetime ago. Don't know if it was real or not but I remember it being horrible.

 

[y_p_w]

I bought it in a tube when I was into anime half a lifetime ago. Don't know if it was real or not but I remember it being horrible.

Real wasabi isn't the stuff that comes in a tube or a can. The following is somewhat incorrect in that it's not a root. It's a stem that grows underground (rhizome).

 

[Nessism1]

I've seen it growing, on the edge of a cold water running stream. Replicating the growing environment would be an expensive challenge. Very tasty stuff.

 

[4WD]

Went out to eat some “bait rolls” with the gang last night - this place didn’t put out any kind at all - just soy sauce …

 

[y_p_w]

I've seen it growing, on the edge of a cold water running stream. Replicating the growing environment would be an expensive challenge. Very tasty stuff.

They grow it outdoors in Japan in somewhat high altitudes. Apparently the demand is so high that they import some of the wasabi that's grown outside of Japan. This is mostly done in greenhouses which I suppose can get closer to the right conditions.

 

[ripcord]

I've had it once at a fancy Japanese restaurant at a work event. It's a shorter burn than the imitation horseradish wasabi that's normally served. Honestly, I like both kinds.

 

[FZ1]

I don't think I've ever had real wasabi. Obviously have had the kind of paste that either comes in a tube or is reconstituted from a powder. I also remember a time when some employees of our company based in Japan actually brought bunch of tubes and said anyone was welcome to one. I think it was just just House or S&B, so it was similar enough to what we could get in the United States. However, that's almost always horseradish and maybe a bit of hot mustard with food coloring. Possibly a tiny bit of real wasabit root.

There was an old topic on this, but like a lot of older topics it's closed when nobody responds in ages.

It used to be really hard to get real wasabi rhizhomes in the United States. The only place they were grown at the time was in certain parts of Japan where the techniques to grow them were highly guarded. I remember reading about a farm in Oregon that was working on it, and apparently they had someone from the closest Japanese consulate coming around and taking photos from outside the property. The story was that the farm had difficulty learning how to grow it. They had to have someone in Japan buy the books for them and translate, and there was no way the bookseller would have allowed the sale if the purpose was disclosed. But at this point there are several wasabi growers in the US and Canada.

This place (Half Moon Bay Wasabi) is the source for a lot of restaurants and some specialty markets:

https://hmbwasabi.com

I've seen some wasabi sold for about $80 a pound. I understand that it should be freshly grated or crushed and usually isn't combined with any other condiment. This video shows it more or less ground on a serving board with a rough surface.

Just gimmee a Cheeseburger with grilled onions and a Coke.

 

[Pablo]

A couple times 40 years ago. More earthy less long sustained fists clinching table slams…..wait that’s powdered mustard

I am kind of a horseradish sucker but still would like to try the USA grown wasabi

 

[y_p_w]

A couple times 40 years ago. More earthy less long sustained fists clinching table slams…..wait that’s powdered mustard

I am kind of a horseradish sucker but still would like to try the USA grown wasabi

Canada? This company claims to be the only commercial grower of wasabi in North America. I'm skeptical because of it seems obvious that they're not.

​

https://wasabia.com/​

North Americas only commercial grower of high-quality water-grown authentic Wasabi (Wasabia japonica).​

Pacific Coast Wasabi, based in Vancouver, BC is able to ship year round from our growing sites in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Pacific Coast Wasabi grows only high-quality semi-aquatic Wasabi for the culinary, nutraceutical and natural product markets.​

I've mentioned Half Moon Bay Wasabi. There are others.

https://www.thewasabistore.com/the-farm-1
https://www.mountainviewwasabi.com/

 

[Pterostylis]

I had it once at a Japanese restaurant, I don’t normally have wasabi but the waitress really wanted me to try the real stuff. It was marginally better than the cheap stuff and from memory less bitter.

 

[CharBaby]

Well, I’ve never had the root or whatever it is that those two guys are holding, but I have had some wasabi that took my breath away, made my eyes water and my nose run. I like wasabi but I don’t want to need oxygen when I’m done.

 

[y_p_w]

Canada? This company claims to be the only commercial grower of wasabi in North America. I'm skeptical because of it seems obvious that they're not.

​

https://wasabia.com/​

North Americas only commercial grower of high-quality water-grown authentic Wasabi (Wasabia japonica).​

Pacific Coast Wasabi, based in Vancouver, BC is able to ship year round from our growing sites in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Pacific Coast Wasabi grows only high-quality semi-aquatic Wasabi for the culinary, nutraceutical and natural product markets.​

I've mentioned Half Moon Bay Wasabi. There are others.

https://www.thewasabistore.com/the-farm-1
https://www.mountainviewwasabi.com/

Just started thinking about it, and this place just says that theirs is "water grown". Not quite sure what that means.

 

[Pablo]

Just started thinking about it, and this place just says that theirs is "water grown". Not quite sure what that means.

Hydroponic would be my guess

 

[Nessism1]

That goes back to my comment about Wasabi growing alongside cold water streams. That's the natural way the plant grows.

 

[y_p_w]

Hydroponic would be my guess

I looked more into their website and found this photo. Obviously a greenhouse, but I can't tell what's under the leaf cover.

Dug around some more, and they gave a tour to a CBC reporter:



Looks like they grow it in some sort of soil. Doesn't really look all that different than Half Moon Bay Wasabi, although I don't see any ground cover. I don't get how it's considered "water grown".