Yesterday in this column I started to explain the biggest fraud in the American culinary scene: that there is no authentic Japanese Kobe beef sold in this country, anyplace. Not one slice of it. What is heavily marketed as Kobe beef on menus, in stores, and by mail order is at best an imitation of Japanese beef, and at worst has no relationship whatsoever to the genuine article.
Mine is a rather straightforward proposition – U.S. law bans the import of all Japanese beef. It’s hard to argue with that. But imitation Japanese beef is a much murkier issue.
What about “Domestic Kobe” or Wagyu? Savvy eaters may have noticed that in recent years some menus and meat packaging have switched to these terms. I’ve also seen “American-style Kobe” and “American Wagyu” (I’ve even seen Kobe pork, Kobe bacon and Kobe pigs-in-a-blanket!). I’m not sure if these are attempts to be slightly less dishonest, but if so, they fall far short, since none of these terms mean anything to the buyer.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Forbes
