# Wasabi **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917 "2007-01-06T07:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cymro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Cymro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cymro)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/1 "2007-01-06T07:01:49Z")
Inspired by the hot and spicy thread - what would you call wasabi? It’s ‘hot’ in a certain way, but I’d never describe it as spicy - what’s a good adjective in your book? cymro ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/2 "2007-01-06T07:17:02Z")
Expensive? It’s $75 a pound out here, and this is where it’s grown. The whole radish/cabbage family has that unique kind of vapor-hot. I think of it as vegetable volatility. It doesn’t affect your tongue, but the cavities in your head. Mustard is in the same family (cruciferous?), so I wonder if that’s how mustard gas feels. Howbout that: cruciferous hot? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/3 "2007-01-06T08:26:40Z")
My family always called the Wasabi-horseradish-mustard effect “Nasal-hot” ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/4 "2007-01-06T08:30:41Z")
Well actually, we called the _effect_ “nasal-heat” and the actual food was described as nasal-“hot” ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/5 "2007-01-06T08:48:59Z")
I describe it as “the wasabi train comin’ through,” but that may not work for you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/6 "2007-01-06T09:13:53Z")
Oiless spice? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/7 "2007-01-06T15:03:03Z")
Sinus-clearing hot. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/8 "2007-01-06T15:16:06Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Expensive? It’s $75 a pound out here, and this is where it’s grown. [/QUOTE] That’s the flavour of real Wasabi, which is served fresh and grated onto food. The Wasabi in tubes/cans etc. is a bright green fake made from regular Horseradish and Mustard seeds. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasabi/386917/9 "2007-01-06T18:12:21Z")
How about [isothiocyalicious](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmustard.html) PS: Where can you get fresh wasabi root in Seattle?