I noticed that my local supermarket seells canisters of MSG along the spice racks. It’s fairly cheap too, about $1 for 4.37 oz., making it [by far] the cheapest spice available.
From my primetime news and alternative medicine experience, MSG is an insidious plot by wiley Chinamen to destroy the Anglos who are merely trying to show their openmindedness with some culinary exploration. As I understand, MSG is responsible for everything from hair loss to Evil.
But that little bottle full of what could be powdered sugar for all I know sits there, taunting me. I’d really like to know what a “flavor enhancer” tastes like by itself, but I’m too worried that my heart would stop, the Red Menace would pour over the borders and my name would forevermore be cursed by true Americans.
Frankly, it tastes a little bit like your own saliva, only moreso. I have no idea what it’s made OF, but I’ve tasted it by itself and it doesn’t really have a flavor of its own, but it’s very mildly salty, very mildly sweet and sort of “warm-tasting,” if that makes any sense at all.
It’s quite hard to describe, as MSG actually possesses what some people call “the fifth flavor” as it is neither salty, sweet, bitter or sour. The fifth flavor has a name, which is “umami” and is generally described as “savoryness.”
Lies. No description of what straight MSG tastes like should include the word “mild”.
My girlfriend bought some of this only a couple of weeks ago and I wondered the same thing: “What would these mysterious and allegedly evil granules taste like by themselves?” So naturally I dumped some in my hand and licked it.
The “flavor”, to put it mildly (heh), is intense. It immediately made my face scrunch up and swallowing it had the almost instant result of pummeling my stomach into a state of extreme nausea.
The taste - nearly indescribable, I’d go with “fifth flavor” - was difficult to get rid of and lingered for a good 10 to 15 minutes, despite consumption of copious amount of water.
What s/he said. It’s a lot like mild bullion cubes. Also excellent in peanut butter cookies - substitute it for the salt. Brings out the peanutbuttery goodness.
MSG tastes like a dozen red hot nails being hammered into my skull, then struck by lightening before the Tuba & Drum Corp come marching through the room.
