than Choice, which is a hefty chunk of change if you’re
feeding a crowd. In my household, though, steak night is a
rare occasion, and one that I save up for.
Q: What about this “Kobe beef” I keep hearing about?
Kobe beef is a type of high-quality, well-marbled beef
named after a professional basketball player. Wait. Strike
that, reverse it.
True Kobe beef comes from Tajima-breed Wagyu cows.
This is a breed that was originally a work animal used to
plow rice fields in the mountainous Hyogo prefecture of
Japan. Once beef started to become more popular in Japan,
some people noticed that meat from these cows had an
unusually high level of marbling and a distinct, delicate
flavor. The cows were consequently carefully bred to
maximize these characteristics. The result is beef that is
absolutely stunning in the degree of marbling it has, far
outstripping even USDA Prime beef.