Wasabi:
Wasabia Japonica syn Eutrema Japonica syn Eutrema Wasabia
Family: Brassicaceae/Cruciferae
Horseradish:
Armoracia rusticana
Family: Brassicaceae/Cruciferae
See?
Just because ‘Wasabi’ translates to ‘Mountain Hollyhock’, doesn’t mean that it is a hollyhock, just that the leaf form is similar.
So stop telling people that it isn’t related, OK?
Who did this heinous deed?
Oh, some semi-famous forgettable chef on a show where three of them compete against each other every week (first time I’ve seen the programme, but not the first time I’ve heard someone spout this particular piece of ignorance)
Would this be… ummm… can’t remember his name… one of the plonkers on The Best, on BBC2?
(I only watch it 'cause I’m waiting for the two blokes to get sick of Silvana and fillet her.)
Mangetout -
Yes, you do have a point, but the thing is wasabi and horseradish are related on the family level and not the genus level.
For example:
Wasabi, mustard, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, watercress and kale are all related in this regard.
However, horseradish and wasabi are not of the same genus. Cauliflower, brocolli and cabbage are all of the genus Brassica.
Basically, cauliflower and cabbage are brothers, while cauliflower and wasabi are cousins. Just like wasabi and horseradish.
Heck, peaches and almonds are more closely related than wasabi and horseradish.
But you are right, they are both members of the mustard family. I just think that in common parlance, we are more interested in the relationships on the genus level, not the family level. I think the commentator was trying to say that wasabi is not a different species of horseradish, which many people seem to think.
The wasabi rhizome and the horseradish root look quite different and do indeed taste different. That horseradish substite crap that 90% of sushi places serve in the States is NOT wasabi. If the ingredients start with horseradish, then you are not getting real wasabi. True wasabi is mellower than horseradish.
Anyhow, I think this is the point the commentators were getting at.
Hmmm, the kind of statements I was referring to were “… and add just a little Wasabi, which some people call ‘Japanese Horseradish’, but it’s not related to horseradish at all and is actually a type of hollyhock”, which is completely untrue and it’s this that irks me.
I am not a qualified botanist, but I’m not entirely ignorant to the subject; I’ve noticed that Cruciferae is quite commonly referred to as ‘the cabbage family’, Rosacae is ‘the rose family’ (even though the true roses are merely a genus (Rosa) within that family) - certainly it’s not at all uncommon to hear (or incorrect to say) statements like “apples, like strawberries, are members of the Rose family”.
On the subject of ‘closeness’; I’m not sure that the differences between two genera in one family can be quantified sufficiently accurately to warrant proper comparison to the differences between two genera in another (for instance we could say that Apples and pears are as closely related as Wolves and Foxes, but it woud have little meaning).
yes Steve, that was the one, but as I say, it’s not the first time I’ve heard it said.
So cauliflower can legally sleep with wasabi, but not with cabbage? And wasabi can marry horseradish without fear of inbreeding?
Vegetable family trees. Fascinating.
I once went to a wasabi/horseradish wedding. I screwed up the gift, though – it was a silver vegetable peeler.
I’ve heard that pretty much all the wasabi one gets in the US is actually horseradish with green food coloring. I’ve eaten tons of sushi, but it’s possible I’ve never had “true” wasabi.
And how do you stand on the comparison of apples and oranges…?
Apples go with pork, oranges go with duck.
As long as my eggs are all in one basket, I don’t mind.
I have here some AFC brand wasabi I bought at an Jungle Jim’s.
It is called “grated sushi wasabi” and the list of ingredients are wasabi (japanese horseradish), corn oil, salt, citric acid, turmeric and xanthangum.
It says, in part “unlike other brands, the AFC grated sushi wasabi is made from Japanese wasabi. Wasabi is grown in a flowing stram of mineral rich, mountain spring water in the highlands of Japan. Wasabi is grated and tubed immediately to keep its freshness. It contains no horseradish, powdered horseradish, preservatives or MSG added.”
It sounds like the real thing, I guess. All I know is, it has a really good taste but not as much pure fire as some wasabi I have had in restaurants and such.
Actually, I make a mean orange glaze for pork chops . . .
Actually, here is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about wasabi. Normally, wasabi should be grated freshly (using a circular motion.) Saveur magazine had a great article about a guy who figured out how to grow wasabi in Oregon. Apparently, it’s a bitch to grow. Supposedly, it goes well with filet mignon, too.
Mangetout- Yeah, it’s not really a type of “hollycock” at all. It’s leaves look like hollycock, but have nothing to do with hollycock, as far as I can tell. So I’ll second your rant at this point.
Hollyhock, if you please.
Unless I’m being whooshed, in which case, “Well done!”
Hollycock: It’s fucking spicy!
Woo hoo, Wikkit, I like it!
Oh sweet merciful heavens, do you have any idea how much trouble you people have just started?
My husband just picked up Nobilis, a roleplaying game that’s somewhere in the land of ground-breaking, esoteric, ridiculously pretentious, and he’s keen to run it. (You’re waiting for a horseradish tie in, I know . . . be patient.) For some reason (see the list of adjectives above,) the game master / referee person is called the Hollyhock God.
I have already pointed out to him that I’m going to have a terrible time referring to my GM as the Hollyhock God.
And now, every pea-pickin’ time I hear it, say it, or read it, I’m going to be thinking Hollycock God.
Thank you very much!