Thursday, April 12, 2012

Crumpets and Kobe Beef

Food Diary (April 12, 2012)
Breakfast: Rolled oats with raisins and almonds
Lunch: Crumpets, sandwich
Dinner: Flatbread, rice, vegetables
Baking/sweets: various

Today I had crumpets after a very long time, and they tasted exactly like I remembered them. Crumpets are such delightful little things, I sometimes wonder why it isn’t more popular. I guess there are many other such foods and if everything we thought was good became popular we will end up with too many choices, and confusion. And crumpets, like many other foods, taste more delicious when it becomes less easily accessible.


Today's Favourite Photo
Source: Camemberu
Canton Crispy BBQ Pork



Today’s Favourite Blog
Source: Forbes
Real Kobe beef cannot be found in the U.S, even at celebrity chef’s restaurants that offer ‘Kobe’ beef. It is now illegal to import (or even hand carry for personal consumption) any Japanese beef. Before 2010 you could import only boneless fresh Japanese beef, but none was real Kobe. So the ‘Kobe’ beef you probably had was probably an imitation from the Midwest, Great Plains, South America or Australia.

Even though Kobe Beef, as well as Kobe Meat and Kobe Cattle, are patented trademarks in Japan, these trademarks are neither recognized nor protected by U.S. law.

If you paid lots of money for a supposedly Kobe beef dish, don’t worry. It was probably still very good beef, but not Kobe beef.

14 comments:

  1. I have never had crumpets... I have already heard about them and now you have really made me crave them!
    They sometimes sell kobe beef in my city (at the most expensive butcher's where I rarely go), but I have no idea if it comes from Japan.
    I have heard that the French rear Japanese wagyu beef, but I don't know if they have the right to call it Kobe (it's a regional name not the breed from what I have heard).

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    1. I have never made crumpets. I have seen recipes and they don't seem that difficult, on paper at least!
      I've read that Kobe comes from the region, and its also a special breed. The imitation kobe comes from a different breed.

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    2. http://wagyufrance.eu/wagyu/pages/welcome.php?lang=EN
      This is the website of wagyu farm in France. Apparently it exists since 2005!
      I hope I can taste it one day, although I am sure it's better in a good restaurant in Japan...

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  2. I haven't have crumpets in ages too! I see them in supermarkets but why I don't buy them, I really do not know! Gotta get some soon, they are perfect toasted and topped with cold butter! Mmmmmm...
    Didn't know that it was illegal to import Japanese beef. Part of their quality control?

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    1. Good for you that crumpets are easily available.It can be annoying when you crave it and its difficult to find.
      Not sure why its illegal to import.

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  3. Think I've only had Kobe once or twice ... not sure if it's the real thing. It's wasted on me, I love a good steak ... any good steak!
    If it's done well, even the usual ribeyes I'm happy with :) Wagyu is just as good. I hear it's the same as Kobe, just that they can't name it that since it's a regional name.
    Mmmm crumpets ..... haven't had those for ages.

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    1. I bet the same steak would have tasted a little less delicious if they didn't tell you it was Kobe. I have never tasted waygu and kobe side by side, I bet they are both delicious

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  4. interesting article about kobe beef...

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  5. Ooh, at first I thought the crispy BBQ pork was some kind of dessert bars. Great photo.

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    1. it can be crispy dessert bars, as long as you are generous with the sweet sauce:)

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  6. I...haven't ever had crumpets. How lame of me! I really should make some.

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  7. That pork looks amazingly crispy!

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