Umami. Who has ever

[babylonsister]

used this word? I never heard of it until a few years ago afaik.

Umami, which is also known as monosodium glutamate is one of the basic five tastes including sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami means “delicious savory taste” in Japanese, and its taste is often described as the meaty, savory deliciousness that deepens flavor.

It's now used often on cooking shows.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Thx very much

My wife and I scour every store bought food product. If it has MSG it is not welcome in our home. Now we have another word to look for. Gave my wife migraines. Never more.

[Geechie]

5. Don't equate the two.

[AKwannabe]

15. Here Here

What they said!

[MontanaMama]

2. Umami in my mind means depth of flavor.

Earthy flavor…Forest floor. Mushrooms. Aged soy sauces. Miso. Maybe even anchovy paste. Anything that gives a dish depth that you might not be able to identify on the front of the palette.

[dpibel]

3. Yup

MSG imparts umami, but, as you listed, so do many other things.

The two are not synonyms.

[Geechie]

4. Umami does NOT equal MSG.

Look it up. It means “savory,” simply. Some cooks at MSG to achieve Umami, but it’s not the same thing. Where did the quote in boldface come from?

[RockRaven]

6. Don't know where/when I first encountered it, but more than a decade ago.

On cooking or cooking adjacent shows, yes, primarily there.

I've also run across it in passing in scientific articles about human genomics and glutamate receptors.

[unblock]

7. More than just msg has the umami taste. Msg is just the most common umami additive

Anchovies, tomatoes, mushrooms, fish stock, and others contain glutamates or other amino acids that have the umami taste.

[jmbar2]

8. I use Thai Fish sauce in everything for umami

In very small amounts, fish sauce and sweetened rice wine vinegar wake up the flavor in everything.

Usually about a 1/4 tsp fish sauce and 1 TB seasoned rice wine vinegar in
- spag sauce
- soups
- stews
- salad dressings (some)

You can't taste them in those amounts, but the flavors are much brighter.

[babylonsister]

9. Thanks so much for that tip. I've been needing

some different spices for a change. Fish sauce and sweetened rice wine vinegar are on my list.

[jmbar2]

12. Red Boat brand fish sauce is used by a lot of chefs

Enjoy!

[AZSkiffyGeek]

10. I first heard it about 15 years ago from Alton Brown's show

Mushroom, Parmesan Cheese, soy sauce, carmelized onion, Worcestershire sauce,
Those sort of things have umami. MSG does but you can get it from other places.

[peacebuzzard]

11. I recommend the movie Umami,

It does move a little slowly as an emotional drama unfolds for a popular French chef who is somewhat obsessed.
It was in French with no subtitles when I watched It on a flight but I have started eating lots of Chinese noodles since.
Delicious movie.

[AKwannabe]

16. OK

I’m slow…

Hehe

[peacebuzzard]

18. it was in French. I couldn't turn on subtitles

and my college French has had no practice for decades so I just watched the cooking, drama, and scenery. Talk about slow.

just recently the main actor has been charged with an assault. If true, why is it that promising and gifted figures just can't handle being normal?

[dem in texas]

13. Other Umami

Balsamic Vinegar - not the type used for salad dressing, use the thick dark balsamic, great to perk-up the flavor of soups and stews.

And the old kitchen stand-by, worstershire sauce.

[AKwannabe]

17. Red wine is good

In soups and stews too!
Mmmmmmm to both!

[peacebuzzard]

19. I will have to look for that. Was not aware of that condiment.

although when I looked at the sodium content for the vinegar balsamic I started limiting my use.

[chowmama]

14. I don't know how often it's come up in conversation

but I've been aware of it for a while. I think of it as belonging to things that give food a 'meaty' taste. I don't know what causes it, but I assume some type of protein.

Well browned mushrooms. (I don't get a lot from raw mushrooms. but maybe I don't get the right ones.) Well browned eggplant. Both of these also have a sort of meaty texture, as well as taste, so they make a good meat substitute. For flavor, anchovies and anchovy-based sauces like Worcestershire, soy sauces, and such. Most cheeses. Browned tomato paste or sun-drieds.

Anyway, whatever it is, I like it.