"umami" news and stories

MSG has long been a contentious ingredient. It is often vilified, as a lot of people believe that they are allergic to the stuff. Recently, though, MSG has had its reputation partially restored as it is thought to be a source of Umami, the much-heralded fifth taste.

A new study has raised the possibility that MSG might once again losing its good standing. A group of scientists have recently finished a study linking MSG to higher body weight. They found that "high MSG consumption was associated with a 110 per cent increase in the risk" of having a high body mass index (BMI).

Industry groups immediately responded, essentially saying "no way Jose." The Glutamate Association said that on top of flaws in the study, areas of the world that already consume large amounts of MSG do not have high BMI numbers (which would indicate they were overweight). What do you think about the new findings?

If you were around in the 70s and early 80s, the words 'nutritional yeast' might bring up some uncomfortable food memories: brick-like multi-grain loaves, sprouted salads that looked ready to crawl off the plate, the dastardly carob. But please, give yeast a chance.

These marigold-colored flakes, often sold in bulk in health food stores, are inactive yeast grown on molasses then pasteurized and dried. Nutritional yeast's nutty, savory taste makes it popular among vegans, who sometimes use it to make faux cheeses. It also adds an umami flavor to soups, stews and gravies and is sometimes used as a popcorn topping.

Having read so much about nutritional yeast's cheesy flavor on vegan blogs, I became determined to try it out for myself. I picked up a small baggie from the bulk bin at Whole Foods, which cost less than a quarter. That night I made popcorn, drizzled it with lavish amounts of butter, then added salt and a good handful of the yeast. It was delicious - cheesy, rich, sort of earthy. Totally addictive. I'm going to try it in some vegetable soup next time.

Salt is used in baking, and with food in general, to enhance other flavors. A pinch of salt makes plain foods taste more interesting and makes sweet foods, like watermelon, taste a little bit sweeter by comparison. In most baked goods you cannot taste the salt as a distinct flavor; it simply blends into the background. There are exceptions to this rule, however, and sometimes having a little extra salt is a good thing. The Vanilla Salt Cookies from Umami are topped with a small sprinkle of coarse pink Himalayan salt, which accentuated both the vanilla flavor and the butteriness of the cookies. The original recipe called for a sprinkling of coarse sugar, not salt, but the change made the cookies both original and even more addictive. Just imagine it with a sprinkle of both sugar and salt...

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