umami
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Add a Little MSG to Your Next Pickle Brine
I love the whole spectrum of pickles — sweet, sour, half-sour, etc. — but my favourite kind of pickle is one that’s so aggressively flavored, it’s almost uncomfortable to eat. I like a challenging pickle, a pickle that would vanquish lesser women. Adding MSG to my pickles helps me achieve this.
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Add This Not-so-Secret Ingredient to All Your Party Snacks
I love ham and roasts and all of the potatoes and pies, but December is, to me, Snack Season. It’s the time for texturally pleasing, salty bites, and the more you have, the merrier you’ll be. In addition to salt, there are two flavours that turn a good snack into a great one: Umami and…
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Add That Last Bit of Tomato Paste to These Tomato-Based Cocktails
Tomato paste is a kitchen staple that adds incidentally vegan umami and depth to sauces, rice dishes, braises, and any condiment or dressing you happen to stir it into. And, whether you buy your paste in a can or a tube, there is always that little last annoying bit of paste that isn’t quite enough…
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Your Melted Butter Needs Fish Sauce
In terms of fishy flavour enhancers, fermented Southeast Asian fish sauce is my absolute favourite. I love a tinned anchovy, especially when combined with a mess of slow-cooked garlic, but fish sauce has a deeper, more savoury, almost caramelised flavour that keeps my mouth interested and engaged in whatever I put it on. Plus, it’s…