Prepared Wasabi in Tube, Fresh Wasabi Roots
Oh, wasabi, how you make my nasal passages burn, but I wouldn’t have you any other way.
I like how this wasabi paste is shaped like a travel-sized tube of toothpaste. (Wasabi is also known as Japanese horseradish.)
(Why don’t hotels give out tubes of toothpaste, in addition to the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner that turn my hair wonky?)
I’m not going to write what this blob of wasabi paste resembles—I think we can keep it in our minds. I will say, however, that it has the powerful heat of wasabi that disappears quickly but it’s too liquified for my liking (even after being refrigerated).
And now I must warn you sushi purists out there who believe that sushi should only come from a restaurant or your own kitchen: the following image will hurt your eyes. (Come to think of it, maybe your eyes are already hurting from looking at wasabi from a tube.)
Yes, Japanese supermarket sushi. Don’t judge me too harshly, people. Sometimes I just need a sushi fix and like a lot of fixes, I want it cheap and fast.
Here, maybe this photo will make you feel better. Or maybe not, since it’s sushi from a little-frills neighborhood Japanese restaurant. A funny thing about this meal: after I’d placed my order, the waitress asked if it was okay to have the wasabi inside the roll since it was spicy. I requested to have it on the side, since I knew I wanted to photograph the wasabi. When I tasted it, I couldn’t feel any heat at all.
Fresh wasabi roots that cost about $60 a pound. Yeah, the real deal. I can’t tell you the difference in taste between a paste that’s been made with fresh wasabi root or horseradish and a bunch of preservatives, like the one in the tube. I’ve eaten sushi at some upscale Japanese restaurants, but I was paying more attention to the sushi than the wasabi paste to wonder or ask if it was made with fresh wasabi root.
Two asides:
In case you’re curious about what I ended up putting in the giveaway box and the reactions/thoughts of the items of Sarah Lynn, the winner, visit her blog, Tunay Na Mahal (she lives in Philadelphia and is getting married in the Philippines this winter). While I love talking about familiar Asian items with you, I really love when I can show you something that’s completely new to you. Even better if you try it and like/love it.
My second aside: As I was walking downtown this weekend (see, I do venture out of Chinatown. Admittedly, I was on my way to purchase a cup of Americano coffee and a glazed donut.), I glanced at the face of the woman about to walk past me from the opposite direction. Recognition dawned for me and my mouth opened before my brain caught up. I asked her if she wrote for one of the major newspapers in my city. She hesitated for a few seconds, during which my inner monologue was saying, It must not be her. Wow, this is awkward.
“Yes…why?” she wanted to know.
“I recognize you from your blog,” I replied.
Standing before me was my definition of a celebrity/rock star: a woman who had anonymously reviewed restaurants in my city for several years—a restaurant critic—and now a food blogger. Since she has retired as a restaurant critic, she can now post her photo online.
“Not many people do,” she explained. “I’m taking my son to a cooking class.”
“I love reading your blog!” I gushed like the idiot that I am.
“Thanks!” she replied as she walked away with her young son.
As I continued on my way to beverage and food nirvana, I was mentally kicking myself that I didn’t ask if she was [insert her first and last names], instead of whether she wrote for the newspaper. That would have been more personal (or creepy, ha), I thought. It wasn’t until two hours later that I remembered her correct name. I was never so glad to have a brain that works slowly sometimes.
Ick to the tube stuff.
Ok to the paste that most of us use.
I will say that once, only once, was I at a high end Japanese restaurant where they grated fresh wasabi for your sushi. I will never be the same again.
My husband would love this.
Mmmm Wasabi. My fiance once dared me to eat a spoonful… and I did. (Only I had a cold and my nose was stuffed up, so maybe it didn’t count!) That is so funny about you running into another fellow blogger! Thank you for the link to my blog, I really enjoyed all of the items! It was a fun experience!
I don’t care for the consistency of wasabi from the tube.
I use powdered wasabi, which I mix with a little water and sometimes soy sauce. It suits my taste (and budget), but I’d love to try fresh wasabi sometime!
Don’t like wasabi but then don’t like cocktail sauce either. Anything horseradish-y….blech.
Dandy: Ah, I was hoping you’d chime in with how much better freshly grated wasabi tastes. Sounds like a lot better!
Juju: Heh, the same husband who would try Preserved Duck Eggs?
Sarah Lynn: It seems like eating a spoonful of wasabi would help your stuffed-up nose, albeit temporarily. I think that was an easier dare than, say, eating a spoonful of hot sauce! (Do you like pho? It seems to help chase away colds for me.)
Ellen F.: Yeah, I didn’t care for the consistency of this tubed wasabi. And I’d like to try the powdered and fresh forms!
Slammie: The first time I tried horseradish (in a bagel sandwich), I was like, WHOA. Never again. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.
I’m torn on the wasabi. I’ve had it and liked it and then had it again and didn’t like it.
Eww, to the preserved duck eggs!
I’m not usually a big fan of wasabi. I only add a little bit into my soy sauce dish. I can’t tolerate too much spiciness. I’ve never seen pictures of the actual root though. I guess I never reeeally considered that the green paste actually Came from something. By the way, store bought sushi can be good too! I like going to a little place called Yama. I usually get California Roll. (rice, seaweed, sesame seeds, avocado, mayo, cucumber, imitation crab).
Who is this celebrity food blogger? I really like your site so maybe I’d like hers too.
Bonny: Wasabi (painfully) grew on me.
Lian: The supermarket roll was a cooked-salmon one, and the restaurant sushi roll was a California one.
The food blogger isn’t an actual celebrity, just a local woman who writes for one of my city’s newspapers. But she used to be a restaurant critic and it’s for that reason that she fits my personal definition of a celebrity/rock star. She had one of my dream jobs, minus the writing. I’d love to be paid to eat. Then again, wouldn’t we all?
hey… your picture is awful for my brain lol