# Iron Chef: Japanese food/culture question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389 "2014-02-03T01:34:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/21 "2014-02-04T18:05:40Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > We call it a “porky” taste, but really it’s just meat that’s not been prepared in a certain manner, and not the innate taste of pork. I’m not sure I understand this. Are you saying pork doesn’t have a “porky” innate taste? There are degrees of “porkiness” based on the pork you buy (and most commercial pork I’ve had in America is fairly low on the “porky” scale), but it’s definitely innate to the meat, not the cooking method. Hell, eat some mett (raw pork) and steak tartare (raw beef), and you can tell the difference. Mett still has, to me, what I would call a “porky” taste. Same with frying down some lard. It has a porky smell. Beef fat has a different smell. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/22 "2014-02-05T03:42:48Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > And, about natto, while I’m not a big fan, it’s not nearly as repulsive as it’s made out to be. It’s fermented and it smells like it is, but the scent is nowhere near as strong as many, many European cheeses. The taste is more nutty than anything – as a matter of fact it’s somewhat bland. Really, personally I find the sticky mouthfeel to be more off-putting than the scent. Agreed. Last time I was in Japan, my wife (who is Japanese) finally persuaded me to try natto. And … it was nothing special. Didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it. I’ve eaten it several times since, and while I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to get more, I wouldn’t avoid it either. As you say, the stickiness (and the way the sticky strands go everywhere if you’re not careful) is more off-putting than the taste. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/23 "2014-02-05T03:55:39Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > This is actually quite common. Mutton/pork is often termed “smelly” in Chinese cooking as well. My Chinese wife’s highest possible praise for a fish dish is to say: “There’s no fish flavour AT ALL!” ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/24 "2014-02-05T04:09:50Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > I don’t know about the OP, but that is exactly what I was talking about in my post. … i see. so which is it? is it really that all normal fish has that fishy smell or is it just fish that is not quite fresh? ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/25 "2014-02-05T04:59:31Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > i see. so which is it? is it really that all normal fish has that fishy smell or is it just fish that is not quite fresh? Fresh fish is not smelly. Different fishes age differently. Even fresh, cod has a bit of a distinctive smell that only gets worse with time. I’ve driven past cod-drying beaches and… oh boy. I find a huge difference between mackerel that is very fresh versus mackerel that is only somewhat fresh. Tuna, on the other hand, can actually improve with age. Large tunas can be aged for up to two weeks. The preparation method will also greatly affect the flavour. Good fish should have subtle flavours. Bad fish either tastes very strong or is completely bland. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389/26 "2014-02-05T05:16:57Z")
we seem to be the only two agreeing on this though, i have to wonder if the others are talking about something else or is it simply a case of lost in translation like this one appears to be: > [@hogarth](#): > > My Chinese wife’s highest possible praise for a fish dish is to say: “There’s no fish flavour AT ALL!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-japanese-food-culture-question/680389.md?page=1)