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--> --> Dec. 4: The stinking rich By Jeff Cheek The old adage, "You are what you eat," should have a codicil, "and you smell like it." Your diet has a definite effect on your odor. Etiologists believe that a change in the national diet of Japan gave birth to the classification of the wealthy class as "the stinking rich." The island nation had its first western contact in the 1540s when the Dutch and Portuguese arrived. Fearing western influence on their orderly, structured society, the Shogun issued the Tokugawa Edict in 1609, which built a wall around the nation. Anyone leaving Japan would be executed. Any foreigner setting foot on their sacred soil would also be killed. For almost two and a half centuries, Japanese society was frozen in time. Both the American Revolution and the Industrial Revolution happened while Japan slept on, wrapped in a feudal blanket. Under pressure from the whaling industry that wanted protection for its ships hunting in the North Pacific, in 1853 President Pierce sent an American fleet to Japan to force them to join the rest of the world. Commodore Perry arrived on July 8, 1853, leaving our demands that Japan open two ports for trade and commerce. After spending the winter near Okinawa, Perry returned in the spring of 1854 for his answer. The Japanese agreed and Townsend Harris arrived in 1856 as the first American Consul. He and his male secretary, Heusken, were the only Americans in Nippon. Harris has two claims to fame. He founded City College of New York and he was the first American diplomat in Japan. There were many subtle, nonviolent clashes with the local people. Harris was shocked by the public bath houses where "both sexes bathe together in the nude." For their part, the Japanese were amazed at the food Harris requested. The Japanese diet was comprised largely of rice, tofu and vegetables, with small amounts of fish, poultry or pork. Their oxen were used for transportation only. They never ate beef. Harris demanded they slaughter a calf for his consumption. They complied, reluctantly. In 1931 the butchers of Tokyo erected a monument on the site where "the first cow in Japan was slaughtered for human consumption." Beef fat produces butyric acid which gives the eater a definite odor. The Japanese noted this smell, and Harris was given the nickname "Bata-kusai," or butter stinker. Meanwhile, Harris waited for 18 months for an audience with the Emperor. Finally, on July 29, 1858, the "butter stinker" completed his mission by signing a trade treaty between the United States and Japan. It was not until 1872 that the curse on eating beef was lifted. Emperor Meiji ate some beef which sanctioned it for the whole country. The Japanese had complained about the strong body odor of Westerners but now the Japanese also ate beef. Only the rich could afford beef, though. The rest of the people noticed the change in their smell and called them "the stinking rich." Beef Teriyaki is a tasty Japanese beef dish. INGREDIENTS: 2/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup dry sherry 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 clove garlic, minced PREPARATION: Mix all ingredients; set aside for flavors to blend. Meanwhile, slice desired amount of steak into half-inch strips; soak in marinade for at least one hour. Broil or pan fry, 5 to 7 minutes per side, basting with sauce 2 or 3 times per side. Pour any remaining marinade over meat and serve with bowls of rice. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing