Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Agreed. Bordeaux style (or any one of the other controlled wines) is different than claiming a specific product. Problem is, I see too much Kobe or American Kobe on menus.

This was the first time I had run into this particular bit of info.

Darcie, I do understand that RMAA and others try to enforce ownership rules via civil lawsuits and that is a function of business and corporate America, but they and others have also sought criminal protection for their property rights, which is very much a governmental function. Disney's promotion of the copyright extension aka the Mickey Mouse Protection Act always rubbed me the wrong way, regardless of how fond I was of Walt's kingdom as a kid.

The Wagyu/Kobe Clog Dance (Two sides stamping their feet ... Stamp ... "It IS really Japanese" ... Stamp Stamp back ... "No, No it's not!") is to me, slightly science (aka breed development) and mostly marketing. The Wagyu Association is not some sort of biologically rigorous group like the zoo keepers trying to restore the auroch.

I don't think there is any argument about the validity of saying something is done is the style of or manner of a known commodity or item. I don't think San Francisco style Sourdough is the real thing. The maker has told me up front it is not. But the sourdough is likely inspired by the wonderful flavors of the real thing, whether they manage to meet the standard or not.

But it is all food for thought.

As tempting as it might be...I'm not bringing up chili...

I hope you all are aware of my recently found restaint...

Yeah, now if we could only tighten that a wee bit more...

P.S. "restaint"????

Note to editors...we really need spell check..

I concur, and our political system makes it very difficult for the people to have their collective voice heard, unless they have billions to direct the conversation. OTOH, most citizens are too busy watching "Sluttiest Housewives" to even notice what is going on until some special interest group works them up into a lather. panem et circenses...

America is a funny place - we have stringent crash requirements that exclude a number of fine, efficient automobiles, but we allow pink slime in tubes of ground beef with no labeling. I have no problem with someone who calls something "xxxxx-style," but I want the label to list ALL of the ingredients, including country of origin. I don't want the government to forbid me from purchasing raw milk, but I think they should put a big warning label on it so I am aware of the risks. If only they would make me queen...

I find it interesting that many European countries prohibit the use of superlative terms like better and best in advertisements, but America is a free for all. Have you ever seen a bottle of laundry detergent here that doesn't claim it is 'new and improved'? Makes me wonder how old and inferior their previous product really was. I'm waiting for the improvements that do the laundry for me.

No, we don't. It's way more fun this way.

I stand rightfully corrected...with spell check we would never see timeless classics such as the infamous "Tamponade"

When I see an American TV chef talking about making a recipe with Kobe beef, they lose credibility with me. They are either uninformed or intentionally trying to mislead viewers.

It is interesting to note that the American Kobe fad was started in the US by Masami, a leading Japanese Kobe producer. They purchased a ranch in California, Started with some Waygu cattle which were crossed with American breeds, and the product labelled by their distributor as American Kobe or Kobe style (I'm not sure which).

The article, I believe, is essentially correct.