MSG - it's a good thing
Well, not REALLY but it's not the worst thing, contrary to what a lot of people think. I used to watch my grandmother cook and she'd put a tiny pinch of the stuff into her food and it tasted amazing. Of course, she was such a good cook she didn't always need the MSG but it alwas enhanced.
The problem arises when a cook uses too much of it, and that sends diners into dizzy spells and nausea and even heart palpatations. It's not a condiment or a spice people, it's like a tiny dab of perfume - used sparingly it compliments; too much and it's, well, too much.
I found this article about MSG (it basically defends it) really enlightening and I hope it educates people a little more and proves that there's nothing to fear about MSG. To reiterate what I said above, one of the chefs quoted in the article has this to say about MSG (or as I knew it growing up, Ajinomoto):
Mangia!
The problem arises when a cook uses too much of it, and that sends diners into dizzy spells and nausea and even heart palpatations. It's not a condiment or a spice people, it's like a tiny dab of perfume - used sparingly it compliments; too much and it's, well, too much.
I found this article about MSG (it basically defends it) really enlightening and I hope it educates people a little more and proves that there's nothing to fear about MSG. To reiterate what I said above, one of the chefs quoted in the article has this to say about MSG (or as I knew it growing up, Ajinomoto):
“Too much MSG and you get that harsh, acrid taste,” said Mr. Pelaccio, who uses an empty barrel of Ajinomoto-brand MSG he found on the street as a plant stand in his Chinatown apartment. “But get it just right and that dish will sing.”
Mangia!
