Text 10056, 99 rader
Skriven 2007-01-06 15:20:03 av Carol Shenkenberger (6:757/1)
     Kommentar till en text av Glen Jamieson
Ärende: Re: RICE  70105
=======================
*** Quoting Glen Jamieson from a message to Carol Shenkenberger ***


GJ> I recall a Japanese parliamentarian claiming that only Japanese rice
GJ> could be digested properly in Japanese stomachs - it was a genetic
GJ> development of the Japanese race!  This was part of the argument
GJ> against importing foreign rice.

Thats the 'trace elements' theme there.

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

Down south where I am, they are very common.  Climate makes me a better rice
growing area though I guess it grows up north well enough still.

 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?

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

Grin, probably!  Wheat imported then resold for profit in noodle packs.  I
think I'm too far south to see wheat fields.  That would be more Tokyo way
than I am (about 1,000 miles south of there?).  One of our big crops is meekan
(mandarin oranges). Climate wetter but not that far off northern Florida.


 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).

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

On foot, such places were not within my reach and not much point in going there
out of my way since my kitchen is a 3-6week sea voyage away!


 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> 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.
GJ>  
GJ> Fried tomatoes are common enough in Australia, but not green ones.  As
GJ> we have hardly areas subject to frosts, there is not much need to
GJ> rescue green tomatoes.  Some people deliberately pick them green to
GJ> make pickles.

Same here I think.  Anyways, that place has always a small selection of 'still
mostly green' ones to pick from.

 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.

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

Right on about OZ customs folks.  One of the warnings we get is to not let them
up the quarterdeck and onto the ship.  Been some past issues with one or two
going nutty and impounding all our foods and making us buy everything local to
replace it.  Hasnt happened to any ship I've been on, but then again, I have
never let one come onboard either <g>.

They grumble a little, but it's part of the agreement.  No food allowed off our
ship, no check of our food on the ship (lke we have OZ custom inspection
stickers on the calamansi we got wholesale in Subic area?  Umm, nope).

I'd forgotten about that til you mentioned it.  No other place we go, worries
about the food stocks we bring with us.  Sorry to say but OZ is quite
intrusive about it if you let them.  The pervading feeling may be unfair, but
we get the impresson there's some sort of kickback system to the local food
sellers if the customs guys can force us into a major restock instead of just
getting the usual provisions of fresh stuff we've run out of.
                                       xxcarol

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