1 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor. I'm Annie Reese and I'm 2 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we're talking about was sabi. Yes, 3 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: sometimes I'm sure listeners look at our our past couple 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: of episodes and try to figure out if there's any 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: rhyme O reason two the topics we pick, and I 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: would say there's a reason. Perhaps rhyme is not always there. No, no, no, 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: no pattern in particular other than like, Hey Annie, what 8 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: are you craving right now? What's been on your mind? What? 9 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: Sabby um? Four months because a couple actually this was 10 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: almost a year ago because it was for my birthday. 11 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: There's this restaurant in Atlanta. I've been meaning to try 12 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: forever and it's kind of far out and people who 13 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: know me know I don't drive m and last night 14 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: I absolutely I have to and I find that got 15 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,319 Speaker 1: to go and it's this like it's supposed to be 16 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: very authentic Japanese sushi. And there was an item on 17 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: the menu that I saw because I like to research 18 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: my restaurants beforehand very thoroughly, and YELP told me I 19 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: have to get this and it was called special Premium 20 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: was sabi and it blew my mind. It was so 21 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: good and I love was sabi um. I frequently I 22 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: put very big chunks of it in sory sauce and 23 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 1: then I just eat the whole chunk, and every time 24 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: it like stings and I get teary eyed, and then 25 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: I do it again. I always do it again. Um. 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: I like wassabi flavored nuts, was sabi flavored chips. Um. 27 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: I've had was zabbi and cocktails and I've loved it, 28 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: but this special premium stuff was so good. There's a 29 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 1: whole other level. I'm not sure if I've ever had 30 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: real sab um. There is my favorite Isakaya in town, 31 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: Isakaya being a Japanese word for like pub they have 32 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: with sabi shumi, which are little dumplings which I'm pretty 33 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: sure just one of those restaurant industry like they arrive 34 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: frozen and they reheat them in store kind of things. 35 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: But but yeah, they're these little pork dumplings that have 36 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: these three little match sticks and they're small, like little 37 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: like half match sticks of some kind of crunchy root 38 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: inside of them, and they're so so hot it's like 39 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: flames on the sides of my face. Like I eat 40 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: them and I spend a good fifteen seconds completely down, 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: like systems shut down. That's it. I'm just dealing with 42 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: the fire of this food. And then I'm like, oh man, 43 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: that was so good, give me another one. It's a 44 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: very long meal. I suppose it is. Yes, But kind 45 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: of going back to to what you said Rio with sabi, 46 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: the thing is a lot of a sabi we have 47 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: here in the United States is not the real thing. 48 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: But before we start talking about what was sabi isn't, 49 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:14,839 Speaker 1: let's ask our question sabi. What is it? Wasabi? Yeah, 50 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: I do have a sabi in my fridge. Um, okay, so, yes, 51 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: was Sabi can mean a couple of different things. It's 52 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: generally a spicy, hot grass green condiment to or ingredient 53 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: in Japanese foods. There is a plant botanical name Wasabia 54 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: japonica or Utrima japonica that these products originate from. And 55 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: this plant is a flowering plant in the Brassa Casey family, 56 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: which you may remember from our cauliflower episode approximately ten 57 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: billion years ago. That's approximate, but yes, yes, uh. The 58 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: family also includes mustards and cabbages. But okay, the wasabi 59 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: plant grows a large stem mostly underground, called a rhizomes, 60 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: sort of like ginger or potatoes. From this rhizome, roots 61 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: shoot off and leaf stems shoot up. The rhizome is 62 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: where the plant stores the majority of its nutrients, which, 63 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: as it turns out, are also its flavors, and the 64 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: plant grows these heart shaped leaves. They look a little 65 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: bit like water lilies that can reach the size of 66 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: a dinner plate. Over the course of a couple of years, 67 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: the rhizome gets big, like six to eight inches fifty, 68 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: about the size of a cucumber, at which point it 69 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: is ready to harvest. The whole plant is edible leaves, stems, 70 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: and flowers, though those all have a milder spicy hot bites, 71 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: sort of like mustard greens versus mustard. Was Zabi flowers 72 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: grow in little clusters and look sort of like rapini buds, 73 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: which makes perfect sense given the relation. You can grow 74 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: new plants from the flower seeds or from offshoots from 75 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: the rhizome. The best was sabi called sawa was sabi, 76 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: and I'm getting a little bit technical here, but I've 77 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: never heard about how it's actually grown, and I want 78 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: to share it with you all. Sawaw was sabi is 79 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: grown in these flooded beds of gravel or preferably in 80 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: cool mountain streams. The roots sink down into the soil below, 81 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: the rhizomes grow in the gravel, and the leaf stems 82 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: poke up above the water. Lower quality plants are grown 83 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: in fields in soil called okasabi for processing into that 84 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: dried powder for for snack crackers and stuff that everyone 85 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: likes so much. And all right, was sabi plants are 86 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: really finicky. It's got a reputation for being the most 87 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: difficult plant in the world to grow commercially. Most difficult, Yes, 88 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: I feel like I got that a few times in 89 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: a Golden sixty four. Anyway, it's really finicky that the 90 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: leaves and stems are brittle. It wants temperatures to stay 91 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: between fifty and seventy fahrenheit that's about eight to twenty celsius. 92 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: And like me, was sabi will not tolerate direct sunlight. 93 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: If you've ever seen a stem of Brussels sprouts, like 94 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: a full stem that all the sprouts are budding off 95 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: of um. If you broke all the sprouts off the stem, 96 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: that is what a sabi rhizoone looks like. Just to 97 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: give you an idea. And this real with sabi is 98 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: usually graded traditionally with a shark skin greater and its 99 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: flavor is pretty much gone in fifteen minutes or so. 100 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: And that's because the act of disrupting cell walls of 101 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: the rhizome causes this chemical chain reaction that creates the 102 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: spicy hot compounds during just one phase of the chain. 103 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: The plant is native to Japan, but can also be 104 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: grown in parts of China, Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, and 105 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: here in these states um the Oregon Coast in the 106 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: west and parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the east. 107 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: Also as of a Canadian horticulturist said he had figured 108 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: out how to grow with sabi at a commercial scale 109 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: in greenhouses, but the company now seems to be out 110 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: of business, So I don't know what happened there. Mm hmm. Well, 111 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: there's a lot of things, Lauren. Maybe aliens, ghost, time travel. 112 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 1: It's a big, wide world. It probably time travel, do 113 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: you think, so? Yeah, he's he's yeah, he's off making money. 114 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: And the year three thousand, twenty two or whatever. I 115 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: don't know. Goodness, I hope so that sounds nice. Just 116 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: a side note, the Blue Ridge Mountains, some of them 117 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: are here in Georgia, and it used to be a 118 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: big deal in my family. We would go up to 119 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: the Blue Ridge Mountains to get our Christmas tree, and 120 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: we don't do that anymore. But they had this burger 121 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: place that was so good. We'd get a burger. But 122 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: they also had a you could go there to take 123 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: your driver's test, and it was known as being the 124 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: easier driver's test. And that's that's where I went out 125 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: and took. I took the old test, and I'm glad 126 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,679 Speaker 1: to say I passed, although she took off points because 127 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: I slowed down at a green light. But it was 128 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: an intersection. Oh no, no, you just go through those. 129 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: But I was just like a little sure, it's okay. 130 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: I failed my first driver's test, so I have a 131 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: little zero room. It's tough, it's nerve racking. It is 132 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: back to yes. So we've been talking about real wassabi 133 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: this whole time, which again is not what most of 134 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: us find on our sushi plates here in the United States. 135 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: Are in many places around the world. Yeah, in part 136 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: because of that whole most difficult thing, the stuff that 137 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: comes alongside your sushi, say, is frequently a mix of 138 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: American horseradish, mustard, and some coloring. In Japan, this is 139 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: known as Western was sabi with zabi is sometimes sold 140 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: as a powder to be reconstituted with water. But I've 141 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: never tried it, or as far as I know, i've 142 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: never tried it. I've heard that the flavor is muted 143 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: compared to the fresh stuff. Yes, sure, um, if you've 144 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: never had it. The imitation stuff is like very hot 145 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: for a few seconds, um, right up in the sinuses, 146 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: with with a sort of mustardy, peppery flavor. And again 147 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: I don't think I've ever had it, but the but 148 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: supposedly the flavor of the real stuff is a little 149 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: bit more vegetible, earthy and smooth, with just a hint 150 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: of sweetness. It's lovely, still a big spicy bite. Does 151 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: Does that sound accurate? Yeah? Oh it's so good. I 152 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: know a place, Laura. All right, well let's all let's 153 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: added to our list. Okay, alright, what about nutrition in 154 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: the amount you'd eat hopefully hopefully it's nutritionally void, but 155 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: it's got some carbs, fiber, protein, some things. But let's 156 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: talk about that heat. So, okay, was sabi and mustard 157 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: and horseradish tastes hot because it contains compounds called iso 158 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: theo cyanates, which trigger a pain signal in some of 159 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 1: your nerve cells, specifically cells outfitted with this particular kind 160 00:09:55,480 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: of receptor called t r p A one. They're concentrated 161 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: in our nasal passages, which is why that's where with 162 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: sabi and horse radish really hit you when you eat them. 163 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: And this receptor is a complex protein that belongs to 164 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: a whole family of nerve receptors. The acronym stands for 165 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: transient receptor potential. They can be set off by any 166 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: number of things. The BABI receptor is related to another receptor, 167 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: the one that lets you feel, um, the spice of 168 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: hot chili peppers and also actual thermal heat in your mouth. Um. 169 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: It's called t r p V one, the capsaicin receptor, 170 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: which also, by the way, reacts to spider venom. So 171 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: if you've ever had hot, hot sauce, you know what 172 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: it feels like to be bitten by a spider. I 173 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: had a huge spider bite like two years ago. Like, 174 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: I was very concerned. Um, and I know Laura knows me. 175 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm somebody who will like wait it out before I 176 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: go to the doctor. But I it reached the point 177 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: where I was very worried, and I went to urgent 178 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: care and at the time they told me that anti 179 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: venom was going to cost me eight hundred bucks. Yeah, 180 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: and I was like, well or maybe, wow, dude, eight 181 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: hundred dollars. So but you still have both your legs, 182 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,679 Speaker 1: I'm assumed, Yeah, okay, well good. Yeah. I kind of 183 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: just went home. It was like the air of somebody 184 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: writing out a storm. Here we go, here it comes, 185 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: and then yeah, I took like a It was around 186 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 1: for three or four days, but they went away. May 187 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: mean I have superpowers? Have you tried climbing walls? Not 188 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: since that that happened? Well, okay, I know what I'm 189 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: doing after this anyway, with Bobby, receptors are also triggered 190 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: by chemical irritants in the air and in our bodies. 191 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: Researchers think at the same we're sos that are triggered 192 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: by wasabi may be responsible for the pain of immune 193 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: inflammation like an arthritis, and for the itch and poison ivy. 194 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: Why is it fun when it's possabi? Oh, I guess 195 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: it's because you're choosing it Anyway, some scientists believe that 196 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: some of the compounds in mussabi could be used for 197 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: pain management. Those iso theo cyanates that cause the reaction 198 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: and the t RP receptors on our tongues and in 199 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: our mouths. Well, mice bread without those TRP receptors did 200 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: not react when exposed to them. This suggests that we 201 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: could develop a drug to block those t RP receptors. 202 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: And we know exactly what these TRP receptors look like 203 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: in three D thanks to a technique called single particle 204 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: electron cryo microscopy or if that doesn't quite roll off 205 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: your tongue, cryo e M. It's good to know the 206 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 1: shape of the proteins because that helps us figure out 207 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:00,080 Speaker 1: how they do. But what about the sushi connection and 208 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: what about it? Yeah? I actually I'm assuming this is 209 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: very common around the world, but just in case it 210 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: isn't here in the US, you're going to get with 211 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: your sushi, yeah yeah, um the imitation stuff with still 212 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: and this connection goes way back and has to do 213 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: with the believed anti microbial properties of a sabi that 214 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: they would lessen the likelihood of food poisoning. These properties 215 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: helpful when you're eating raw fish, and some science does 216 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,839 Speaker 1: back this up. Studies in both with sabbi root and 217 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: leaves show that they prevent the bacteria growth behind food poisoning. Yeah, 218 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: yeah they can. They can prevent the growth of both 219 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: equally and Straphylococcus aureus. In Japan, will sall Be extract 220 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: is sometimes used as a preservative in lunch bags and 221 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: in lumber. Not that folks are eating lumber or the 222 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 1: bags themselves, I suppose, but but yeah, the compounds used 223 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: in lumber commercially to preserve it. General, we aren't that 224 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: great environmentally speaking, So this sabi extract thing could have 225 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: a bright future. Yeah, I got a right future, kid, 226 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: You got a lot of maxi Studies are ongoing looking 227 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: into the medicinal properties of the isopo scianates present in 228 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: with sabi and treating symptoms produced by asthma, allergies, inflammation, cancer, 229 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: and even neurodegenerative diseases, all kinds of things. Apparently, those 230 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: iso theo cyanates can prevent tooth decay bacteria from adhering 231 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: to teeth. They sound very useful. Yeah, sushi chefs will 232 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: do their best to give you the right amount of 233 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: was sabi. Depending on the type of sushi, the oiliness 234 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: of the fish is a big factor. If you're at 235 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: a decent sushi bar and you order nagiri, you know 236 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: that the individual pieces of fish or whatever that are 237 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: packed on top of rice, there is a good chance 238 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: that the chef has already put a dab of wasabi 239 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: under the fish the right amount for that fish short whatever. Um. 240 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: So it's actually considered a little bit rude to stir 241 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: with sabi into your soy sauce, especially when sitting directly 242 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: at the sushi bar. It's kind of like saying that 243 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: the chef doesn't know what they're doing. Yeah, when I 244 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: was at this place where I tried the real premium sushi, 245 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: the only time the chef has come out and asked 246 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: me like, why are you using so much soy sauce? 247 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: By using stuff just me? And I was like, I 248 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: love little while I'm here. One more tip if you 249 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: do have nigiri like that, try to try to dip 250 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: it into the soy sauce so that only the protein 251 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: touches the soy sauce. If you touch the rice into it, 252 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: it's gonna get loose and fall apart and and also 253 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: pick up too much. So yeah, yeah, other other important 254 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: etiquette tips. Strategy, strategy, Yes, another thing that was savvy. 255 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm telling you. It's like a Swiss army food Swiss 256 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: army knife of foods um in Japan with sabi has 257 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: been used in a smoke alarm for the hearing impaired. 258 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: When smoke is detected, the alarm sprays was sabi extract 259 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: into the room, and a study found that this was 260 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: very effective. It woke thirteen out of fourteen sleeping participants 261 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: in under two minutes. It would wake me up, I 262 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: mean it would burn your very effective. Indeed, if we 263 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: talk about numbers, a lot of was sabi paste and 264 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: powders in the US are actually imitation with sabby flavored 265 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: and dyed horse shradish. The fresh stuff is expensive, sometimes 266 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: up to one hundred dollars a pound outside of Japan 267 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: and perishable, making way for the rise of this imitation 268 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: stuff and also the incorrect moniker of Japanese horse shradish. 269 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: About one thousand tons of imitation with sabis produced a year, 270 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: which is two to three times more than the fresh stuff. 271 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: Some estimates say that of wasabi served in Japanese restaurants 272 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: around the world is imitation was sabi commercially. The fresh 273 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: stuff can be dried and freeze dried to maintain its 274 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: flavors and properties. And like Laurence at earlier, you can 275 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: totally eat the leaves two fresh, pickled or fried. I'd 276 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: love to try that. And today was sabi horticulture techniques 277 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: are kept very close to the chest. Family secrets, yes, 278 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: and there are some secrets in the history of wasabi. Ah. Yes, 279 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: But first we're going to take a quick break for 280 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsor and we're back, Thank you sponsor. Alright, 281 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: some with sabi history. Now, people were pretty secretive about 282 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: about their techniques, and it is very kind of contained 283 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 1: in this one area for a long time, so there 284 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: isn't much. It was difficult to track down a lot 285 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 1: of wasabi history, but there are many legends, especially in Japan. 286 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: As one story goes, was sabi was discovered trees ago 287 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: by a farmer who lived in an isolated village on 288 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: a mountain mount with sabi and some versions. He decided 289 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: he would grow this was sabi and one day showed 290 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: it to a warlord by the name of Tokugawa. Iyeyas. 291 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: This warlord became a shogun and he loved was sabi 292 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: so much he decreed it not be grown outside of 293 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: the region. It was commonly used to add flavor to 294 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: raw trout and venison, and as mentioned earlier, it was 295 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: believed to minimize your chances of food poisoning. Believes and 296 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 1: stems were pickled and consumed as well. China claims that 297 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: with sabi actually originated in their country. I couldn't find 298 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 1: too much more outside of like they claim it. I'm 299 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: sure there is, I just couldn't track it down. Archaeological 300 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: evidence suggests that eating with sabi in Japan goes back 301 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: way further than this story, this legend possibly all the 302 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 1: way back to four thousand to four d b c. 303 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: Which is quite a range. Yeah, that's quite a range. 304 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: But the point being long time ago, long long time ago, 305 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: and it was primarily consumed Medicinally. Written mentions of growing 306 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: the plant first start popping up in Japanese dictionaries and 307 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: botany books and see At first people referred to it 308 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: as wild ginger. When Japan's first published medicinal encyclopedia came 309 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: out in en, it asserted that wild ginger had been 310 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: around for over a thousand years. Cultivation of wassabi was 311 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: around in Japan by the tenth century CE, and it 312 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: did eventually spread outside of its home area when it 313 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: reached the upper reaches of the Abbe River somewhere between 314 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: and sixteen fifteen c UM, but the shogun restricted its 315 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: use to only the ruling class, in part because it 316 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: was so tricky to grow bogarting the wasabi I see 317 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: Laurence sees you. Sometime in the later half of the 318 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 1: eighteen hundreds, the first commercial was sabi became available in 319 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: Japan courtesy of Ichi Roku Hashimoto. It was called katan 320 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 1: and Kio with Sabi, and this venture was pretty successful 321 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: and helped expose a lot more Japanese people to sabi. 322 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: New innovations of a sabi growing in the early twentieth 323 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: century allowed Japanese farmers to produce the crop in higher quantities, 324 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: and was sabi was not well known in the United 325 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: States until about the eighteen eighteen eighties. The nineteen eighties 326 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: very different, very different decades um when sushi started getting 327 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 1: popular and sabi came along for the ride. And now 328 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: you'd be hard pressed to not find sushi to find 329 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: sushi that didn't happen without Yeah. Oh, and now I 330 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: really need to go to that place and gets from 331 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: the real stuff you do. It's really hard to get. 332 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 1: So what we need to start now is my point 333 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: done and done, like three years from out, we'll get it. 334 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: And that's that's about all we have to say about 335 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:10,880 Speaker 1: with Sabby. Yes, but we do have some more for you. 336 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: But first we've got one more quick break for a 337 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 338 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: thank you, and we're back with We're that is courtesy 339 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: to a lion king. Do you remember when Scar in 340 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,520 Speaker 1: the Lion King, he's ruling on Pride Rock and all 341 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: the lions are hungry and he just off screen you 342 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 1: hear him say Robbie, And that's what I keep hearing 343 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 1: when I say with stabbing. Oh makes sense. There's no 344 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: rhyme or reason to the episodes we choose, but there 345 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: is a rhyme reason to the listener mail. Oh yeah, yeah, no, 346 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: you always have a theme, and this one is Jeremy Irons. Yes. 347 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: I hope that uh my genius is appreciated as well 348 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,360 Speaker 1: as the genius of Jeremy Irons in the Lion King. 349 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: What he was a villain in another Disney movie. I 350 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: just learned that, Yeah he was Jafar. I think, yeah, 351 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: I know right, and like so close together. What were 352 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: they thinking. I don't know. I love it. I love 353 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: it how he's like that he was so uncomfortable singing. 354 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 1: But he definitely has a song in both those movies though, 355 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: because it was Disney and they were just like, you know, 356 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: I mean, too bad, choke up and do it, man, 357 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: Although they did have Nicola say somebody else was singing, 358 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: like there was a voice actor and a singing actor 359 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: and some of them oh yeah yeah, But they didn't 360 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 1: give that option to Jeremie Iron. No, they were like, 361 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: I just did a facial expression which works really well 362 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: on I'm sorry. I bet people could hear the sassiness 363 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,400 Speaker 1: of that. It was, Yeah, it was like sassy side 364 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: I And anyway, Morgan wrote, I just listened to your 365 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: podcast about pecans and I wanted to back up the 366 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: information about the war of pronunciation. I work at a 367 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 1: local ice cream shop and we have a bourbon pecan flavor. 368 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: Being that we are in Little Rock, Arkansas, most people 369 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 1: who order it say say it the Southern way pecan. However, 370 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: when we get the rare person who pronounces it in 371 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: the Northern way he can and has to listen to 372 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: me pronounce it pacan, they usually fit into one of 373 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: a few categories. They either A completely ignore the difference. 374 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: B I think it is just so funny and usually 375 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: pronounce it the Southern way with a chuckle. Or see 376 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: legitimately get annoyed at my pronunciation and usually says he 377 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,120 Speaker 1: can again while staring me down. Well, I have had 378 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: that experience too. I had always known there was a 379 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: debate about the pronunciation, but I never knew how he did. 380 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: The battle was until I had to start saying the 381 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: word pecan at least once a day. I love your 382 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: show and shared your Sunday and Marischino Cherries episodes with 383 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: my coworkers. The Sunday one for obvious reasons, and the 384 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,679 Speaker 1: cherry one because we make our own Marischino cherries. If 385 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 1: you're ever in Little Rock, Arkansas, you have to check 386 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: out Lob Lolly. I feel you would both love it. 387 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: I feel you are correct, Yes very much? Oh goodness, 388 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: um all right. Kate wrote the yes pe Can episode 389 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: brought me warm childhood memories of Sunday mornings after church. 390 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: From the time I was born until ten years of age, 391 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: my family attended this little Catholic church in Florence, South 392 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: Carolina called St. Anne's. This church is a historically black 393 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: church that opened in n and is surrounded by large, 394 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 1: high producing pecan trees. The simplicity of the church building, 395 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: paired with the trees gives a deep South feeling to 396 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: the place. In our warm fall weather in South Carolina, 397 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: the pecans would cover the church grounds. My dad carried 398 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 1: a simple nutcracker in his pocket around this time of 399 00:24:58,440 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: year and would hand it to me or one of 400 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: my siblings after Mass, so we could snack on pecans 401 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: straight from the ground while he and my mom chatted 402 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: with other churchgoers before leaving. There were even times when 403 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: we would keep a basket or bowl in the car 404 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: to collect us in many good pecans as we could 405 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: for a pie or crushed meat dish later that day. 406 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: That sounds amazing, Oh it does. Oh it sounds so beautiful. 407 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: It does. A lot of people wrote in about the 408 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: con episode. Um, I'm very happy that it resonated with 409 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: so many of you, and a lot of people wrote 410 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: in that they had these memories like this from childhood, 411 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 1: collecting picans their family. It's wonderful. It is. It is 412 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: thanks to both of them for writing in. You too 413 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: can write to us. Our email is Hello at saber 414 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: pod dot com. You can also find us on social media. 415 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: We are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at saber Pod. 416 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,919 Speaker 1: Thank you as always to our super producer Dylan Fagan. 417 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: Thank you to you for listening, and we hope that 418 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: lots more good things are coming your way.