Horse Spam
So, you’re looking for something new to try in the grocery store. Wow! A little tiny can of corned beef catches your eye. This is a rarity in rural Japan. You think of maybe attempting a breakfast hash or something with cabbage. But then you look at the tin just next to it…the tin ominously marked “New Corn(ed) Meat.” The small parenthetical explanation underneath the product name suddenly leaps out. It reads “Contains horse meat and beef.” Mmmmm…HORSE SPAM. Yikes!
on September 15th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I had horse sashimi before. Tastes a lot like beef, but a little lighter.
Alexs last blog post was: Problem with Japanese homes
on September 16th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Okay, spam is bad enough…but horse spam is….
on September 16th, 2008 at 9:06 am
corned horse? i almost wrote horned course there. actually, i did and then went back and fixed it. i think america is actually ruining my english more so than japan. isn’t that a conundrum.
i had horse sashimi before too in beppu and actually quite found myself enjoying it in spite of myself.
mmmm. horse.
Nics last blog post was: Charming Characters of New York
on September 16th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Alex - I’ve had horse sashimi before too, but I honestly don’t remember much of the taste. It’s crossed off of my list, but I wonder if I should go after it again for a refresher. Hmmm.
Mom - …but horse spam is…an irresistible culinary curiosity?
Chuck - I had it a while back, but like I said to Alex…I dunno if it took. The memory is really hazy. I remember the texture more than the taste. Oh well.
on September 16th, 2008 at 10:55 am
don’t know about that, but my tongue loves cooked horse
claytonians last blog post was: Tell Me How to do People Stuff
on September 18th, 2008 at 4:09 am
I’m don’t usually examine my food’s ingredients lists too carefully, but I do remember seeing some 「牛肉餃子」 (beef gyoza) in the supermarket one time and thought “that sounds good — I wonder if it’s just beef or if there’s also some of the usual pork in there” and looked at the ingredients. The pertinent section read “肉（牛、馬）”. I don’t really have any special aversion to eating horse, but I do wonder how many horse-loving foreigners have unknowingly consumed their favourite animal.
on September 19th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Hi Deas,
If you come to Kumamoto, you would find horse sashimi in every supermarket. Enjoy!
BTW, thanks for your comment on my blog.
on October 4th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
The fact that it’s canned is much more scary to me than the fact that it contains horse meat. Canned meat of any kind (even tuna) is most definitely not the same as the corresponding fresh (as in not canned) product, and that goes double for beef. The comparison to a Hormel product is highly appropriate, IMO. Stay away. Stay far away.
Jonadab the Unsightly Ones last blog post was: Bad Analogies 101
on October 7th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Jonadab - I agree - canned meat products are not on my sought after ingredients list. Yech.