Did you know the wasabi you get at restaurants is just horseradish that's dyed green? This is because wasabi is extremely difficult to cultivate and it must be grated freshly on the spot. Thankfully there's a farm growing it here in the US! I visited Half Moon Bay Wasabi@Half moon bay wasabi to taste the truth. 🌱🔥 #realwasabi #wasabi #sushi #thesushiguy

This is real wasabi grown right here in the U.S. Let's check it out. Did you know that the wasabi you get in the U.S. is fake? It's actually horseradish, which is dyed green. This is what real wasabi looks like. It's delicate, sweet, and completely different. It has to be grated on the spot and loses its flavor within 20 minutes. This is Jeff, the founder of Half Moon Bay Wasabi. He was originally an electrician during the 2008 recession, where he was getting out of work. One day, he went to an omakase and discovered real wasabi served there. That would be one hell of a niche. He asked the owner if he could sell it, if he could grow it. He's like, well, you're not going to be able to grow it. A year later, he had his first product and returned to the same place. He tried it, and he's like, it's good! Now he's the biggest producer of wasabi on the West Coast, producing over 150 pounds per week with 9 greenhouses. He hand delivers wasabi to some of the best sushi restaurants in the Bay Area. And I don't know if you know this, but the entire pine itself is actually edible. The leaves have a peppery taste, almost like mustard. He's using a specialized tool called the oroshigane. This is traditionally made with shark skin. The flavor peaks at 5 minutes after grinding and fades within 20. And of course, we're using cured Costco salmon. That skippity taste, paired with the fatty salmon, it was delicious. Much notably hotter, but it's also a little bit sweeter. Real wasabi is fresh, clean, and slightly sweet with a delicate heat that fades quickly. It's delicious. With farms like Jeff's leading the way, hopefully real wasabi won't be a rarity much longer. If you want to try real wasabi, he also sells it directly from his website.