"Wagyu" means "Japanese cow" and refers specifically to a black-haired

breed known for its beautifully marbled flesh.

Though widely used, "Kobe" is usually wrong for one reason or another. It's
a Japanese city and, no, the streets are not teeming with herds of cattle.

Real connoisseurs are more likely to speak of beef "of Tajima origin,"
referring to the prefecture in which Kobe is located. And, since the ban on
Japanese beef was lifted in January 2006, American menus have sprouted
unfamiliar designations such as Kagoshima and Miyazaki, where the
approved producers are located.

More likely than not, though, the Wagyu ribeye recommended by your server
didn't come from Japan at all. Since bulls and their semen were spirited out of
Japan a couple of decades back, Wagyu has spawned a thriving industry in
other countries, notably Australia and the U.S. Breeders are working
feverishly to meet demand for 100 percent Wagyu but right now most of
what's on the market is crossed with another breed, usually Angus.

Outside Japan, Wagyu producers are skeptical about the much-vaunted
regimen of beer and sake (to stimulate the appetite) and massages (to relax
confined cows), relying instead on a rich grain-based diet to encourage fat
building. "The key thing is keeping them on the feed," says Russ Supplee,
general manager of Greg Norman Australian Prime. In general, the older the
animal when slaughtered, the more voluptuous the taste and texture of the
beef.

Wagyu cows are fed for at least six to eight months longer than other cattle,
and some considerably longer.
At the age of 30 months or so, a purebred Wagyu cow might approach the
maximum on the Japanese marbling scale, which tops out at 12. Such a steak
is cushiony soft and looks like it's been injected with cream cheese. By
comparison, a USDA-graded prime steak falls in the 3 to 5 range.

Whether 12 is a perfect score for a steak is a matter of opinion. Robert Estrin,
who breeds 100 percent Wagyu on his New Mexico ranch, sampled the best
Japanese Wagyu, priced at $175 a pound, and pronounced it delicious. But
American and Australian producers are, forgive the pun, bullish on the
prospects for their beef, and not only because they can offer a more attractive
price point. They're betting that a midway score on the marbling scale--above
USDA prime but below the Japanese pinnacle--is the place to be.

"That extreme richness is not what everyone is looking for," says Mark
Hoegh, marketing director for Kobe Beef America, a Washington producer.

Nutrition Wagyu has about twice the overall fat of regular beef, but that's
not necessarily a deal breaker for the health conscious. Surprisingly, the
proportion of monounsaturated to saturated fats is roughly 2:1 compared to
1:1 for other beef. "The more monounsaturates there are, the more the fats
behave like those in olive oil," says Stephen Smith, professor of animal
science at Texas A&M University.

Portion Size In Japan, a four-ounce package of Wagyu feeds a family of
four when served with vegetables and rice. It's unlikely that American diners
will limit themselves to one ounce each, any more than executives here will
adopt the Japanese habit of presenting clients with Wagyu steaks in velvet-
lined boxes. But it's true that modest portions are likely to satisfy. "A lot of
parties order a steak for the table," says Jennifer Cooke of Cut, a steakhouse
in Los Angeles' Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Cooking Charles Wilson, a chef at Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, advises against
cooking a Wagyu steak past medium rare. Because the fat has a lower
melting point than other beef, the juiciness seeps away all too readily. He
seasons only with a little sea salt and favors a quick searing in a hot, dry
skillet over grilling, which can lead to fat-induced flare-ups.

Wine Pairing If ordering steak calls up thoughts of a powerhouse red, banish
them. "A big swallow of cab sav [Cabernet Sauvignon] could wash away the
beef's finish," says Russ Supplee of Greg Norman Australian Prime. In his
view, a wine with more subtlety, such as a pinot noir, is a better choice.