October 19th, 2010 by Dawn Becker

Recently, Food Bomb commented on my post about onigiri and suggested I check out J-Town to investigate other varieties available. Driving north to Markham was a familiar trek as I commuted to work at a small ad agency, Greaves & Allen Studios, for a few years. I was young, green and full of the hubris of a 20 year-old. There, I learned how to write ad copy and manage projects, worked with an eclectic creative team, and saw how to service a client, all skills I use now.

While I didn’t find anything more than ho-hum salmon onigiri in J-Town (admittedly only two visits), I am glad I went so I could discover Famu. Famu is a butcher shop dedicated to naturally raised, drug-free, roaming animals including beef, pork and poultry. They offer harder-to-find Japanese cuts and also tasty traditional North American cuts. Products include beautifully marbled Canadian Prime Grade dry aged (28 days) Rib Eye Steaks, Striploin, Short Ribs, and more, mostly raised in Ontario.

You can also make special orders as I did for my Thanksgiving dinner this year. That dinner consisted of two gigantic Mennonite Roaster Chickens (raised chemical-free in a free-range environment) and one specially ordered, naturally-raised, bone-in cottage-style ham locally smoked with care.

Pictured below is trimmed Australian Wagyu Flat Iron steaks (also known as Hangar Steaks). Wagyu translates as “Japanese cow” and is a special breed of cattle that genetically produces well marbled meat and a high percentage of tasty fat. Wagyu beef raised in Kobe, Japan is also known as Kobe beef, a name you might be more familiar with.

I quickly marinated the Flat Iron in a Chinese dressing of soy, miso, sesame oil and sugar. Truthfully, it was out of habit and I promptly swung my hand to my head (doh!) when I realized it would have been better to eat it simply with a bit of salt and pepper seasoning.

I got over it after I pulled the strips out of the pan, cut off a slice and stuffed that tender morsel into my watering mouth. Mmm. There is no ruining Wagyu beef, except I suppose if you overcook it and that can happen fast. Wagyu is best served rare or at most, medium-rare, as the fat dissolves quickly in the heat of the pan and the meat almost disintegrates if cooked for too long. What a waste that would be!

A little Wagyu beef goes a loooong way and that’s good because the cost of Wagyu anywhere is extraordinary. At Famu, the cuts are a reasonable size and priced accordingly. You can get a single portion and give it a try or you can sample the gamut of options including a melt-in-your-mouth cut specifically for shabu shabu or Japanese hot pot. You can pre-order a tray of your choice of paper-thin Wagyu rib eye slices or other shabu shabu cuts.

The next time you find yourself up the 404 towards Markham, stop in J-Town and make sure you check out the wonderful array of natural products available at Famu. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. And remember, if you don’t see it, ask Seiko (the owner) if she can get it for you.