Text 9993, 91 rader
Skriven 2007-01-05 08:18:39 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: RICE  70105
===================
 -=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Glen Jamieson <=-

 CS> It all relates to the 'be able to feed ourselves' ethics of Japan.
 CS> They dont  import rice and folks are happy to eat homegrown at a higher
 CS> price to make  jobsand maintain lifestyle.

I recall a Japanese parliamentarian claiming that only Japanese rice
could be digested properly in Japanese stomachs - it was a genetic
development of the Japanese race!  This was part of the argument
against importing foreign rice.
 
 GJ> strange sight of tiny plots of land in between huge office blocks,
 GJ> with miniscule rotary hoes and other farm machinery working on them.

 CS> Yes, I just mentioned those.  You see them all over around Kyushu.  I
 CS> can only 'presume' other places to it too but we are a more southerly
 CS> area and grow more rice than other spots.  I suspect we are the 'grain
 CS> belt of Japan' but that's an eyeball view just from the parts of it I
 CS> have seen. 

These plots begin in the suburbs of Tokyo, and exist from there out.

 GJ> support the present government.  Australia and other countries have
 GJ> been trying to get the Japanese market opened to their products, but
 GJ> without success.  Australia even grows the Japanese variety of rice,
 GJ> which I think mainly goes to Japanese restaurants and sushi bars
 GJ> around Australia.

 CS> Yes, it's much more than rice controlled.  I think the 'rules' are for
 CS> every import here, there has to be an equal food value export?

With the limited land Japan has for growing food, I expect this "rule"
is satisfied by exporting processed food made from imported
ingredients.  For example, that "world's most important invention of
the 20th Century" - instant noodles.

 CS> It has a definate up-side.  I've seen the 2 'grocery stores' in Darwin
 CS> that are walking distance from the pier.  My shere 'variety' here is
 CS> much higher and the town is much smaller.  The difference is 'out of
 CS> season' some things just are not here (or only at the commisary).

Most of the inhabitants of Darwin don't demand much variety from the
supermarkets.  Those who want more diverse ingredients know where to
go - mainly to the few Asian groceries and the "farmers' market" type
of places at Mindle Beach, Rapid Creek, and Palmerston.

 CS> The below is now printed and hanging at a local place, who figured out
 CS> sometimes us crazy gaigin wil delibertaly buy 'green tomatoes' late in
 CS> season so started putting a few out.  Then his Japanese customers asked
 CS> why and he asked me for a recipe.

 CS> Title: Fried Tomatoes (Batter Dipped Tomatoes)

 CS> 3/4 c  Pet Evaporated Milk

 CS> He took the post and added on a second sheet, a handwritten Japanese
 CS> translation and put them side by side.  Grin, he even did his best to
 CS> render 'Kathy Welch' in Kanji.
 
Fried tomatoes are common enough in Australia, but not green ones.  As
we have hardly areas subject to frosts, there is not much need to
rescue green tomatoes.  Some people deliberately pick them green to
make pickles.

 CS> I told him the canned milk didnt have to be that brand and he could
 CS> also use just regular milk and break an egg into it.  The 'canned milk'
 CS> is a bit sweeter and suits the Japanese taste buds better I think.

Canned condensed milk, either pure or blended with an emulsion derived
from coconut, is used a lot in cooking in SE Asia.

 GJ> Japanese tourists to Australia frequently take styrofoam boxes of
 GJ> frozen Australian beef and kangaroo meat back with them to give as
 GJ> presents to relatives.  That is very much appreciated.

 CS> I'm sure it is!  I gathered it isnt a problem to bring back reasonable
 CS> amounts of any food item (as long as it isnt fresh produce of a type
 CS> that can carry bugs).  At least, if you live here <g>.  I can tell you
 CS> from experience, that a bag (ziplock type) of niboshi, wierd out the
 CS> American customs when they find it in your luggage.

Australian customs people are rather fussy, and have seen most of the
produce of Asia being brought to here.  Most of the items which can
carry insects or bacteria or fungal spores are seized and destroyed.
A can of Dave Dirty's chili mix powder was passed, though,
fortunately.  The inspector was very complementary of the aroma.
Betel nuts are allowed, but only if the outer husks have been removed.
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