Processed meat 'early death' link

Well read about Ajinomoto on Wikipedia - it's quite simply MSG or monosodium glutamate. There's an interesting reference to Unami in that article.

Thanks. I have been aware of MSG for some years now. Didn't know of its alternative names though. Interesting read though. Seemingly Betsin is the Tagalog for the same stuff.

Just dug this up....

Umami’s Magic Dusting Powder

"Umami: It’s the 5th flavor. You know, as in; sweet, salty, bitter, sour and… umami. It’s a savoriness, also described as brothy. You’ve tasted it a million times, like when you had that mind-blowing grilled hamburger with sautéed mushrooms at that place– it was so good because it was so umami. Or, think back to the first time you had Parmesan-Regiano cheese, truly Parmesan cheese– remember that remarkable depth of flavor? That was umami, too."

http://findingtasty.com/2011/umamis-magic-dusting-powder

John, after I read what your wife said I aked my wife about Ajinomoto and she told me she had switched from that to Umami Dust and Magic Sarap.

I checked the Magic Sarap packets we have and it says:-
Ingredients:-
Iodized Salt
Monosodium Glutamate
Sugar
Chicken Fat
Flavour Enhancer
Garlic
Onion
Spices
Egg Powder
Meat Powder
Natural and Nature Identical Flavours

So now I am confused and will need to do some more research. I'm not so sure that Magic Sarap is actually a healthy alternative to salt or Umami Dust.
Hmmmmm!!

I am still finding my way too. My ex wife protected me to a good degree. I didn't really delve into MSG an awful lot, both she and my daughter (who is a Dietetic RN) just pointed out the need to avoid MSG and I took their word for it. I was fed home cooked foods for decades. Now, married to a Pinay opens up new culinary worlds. I have been both curious and sceptical about Magic Sarap and I believe my wife uses little of it now compared to several months ago. Her mom uses it so she feeds her employers with Magic Sarap but not Betsin!

However, ironically, looking at the document I posted earlier on Umami's Magic Dusting Powder, I notice that things like porcini mushroom and sun dried tomatoes have elements of Umami powder etc in them. My ex wife used to use both in her cooking. She made a fantastic risotto using porcini mushrooms.

Porcini Mushrooms

"You may find porcini powder available year round, which can act as a magical dust in dry rubs, stews, stuffing, and especially in sauces. It is like a secret weapon in the kitchen, bringing great depth of flavor in any dish to which it is added."

http://www.dartagnan.com/t54/f60337/a3436/Truffles-Mushrooms-and-More/Porcini-Mushrooms.html

Here's a Porcini Mushroom Risotto that looks a bit like the the one the ex wife made. This one is by a certain Mario Balotelli, laterly of Manchester City but now AC Milan.

Note the addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano that also crops up in the Umami’s Magic Dusting Powder link in my earlier post.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/risotto-al-porcini-porcini-risotto-recipe/index.html

Taking the Porcini Risotto recipe as an analogy, I think I would prefer my "MSG" taste to come from raw ingredients rather than from processed MSG powder. Having said that, Parmesan presumably goes through a process.


"Salting Italian Parmesan cheese

One of the characteristics of authentic Parmesan cheese is that it contains no additives or artificial flavourings. The only thing that is allowed to be added to Parmesan cheese to help bring out its flavour is salt. This is done by soaking the wheels of Parmesan cheese in salty brine for a period of twenty days. Once the brining process is finished it is then time to let the Parmesan cheese mature and develop its flavour."

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/italy/Italian-Parmesan-Cheese/356

The best healthy eating idea, IMHO, from Japan has been the Banana Diet. 2 bananas for breakfast preceeded by a glass of water.

Was that made from beef or horse??

Joking aside, I've had both. Mustn't say which I most enjoyed

Last time I had Steak Tartare was when I stayed in Montparnasse year 2000

Red meat chemical 'damages heart', say US scientists

"A chemical found in red meat helps explain why eating too much steak, mince and bacon is bad for the heart, say US scientists.

A study in the journal Nature Medicine showed that carnitine in red meat was broken down by bacteria in the gut.

This kicked off a chain of events which resulted in higher levels of cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease.

Dieticians warned there may be a risk to people taking carnitine supplements.

There has been a wealth of studies suggesting that regularly eating red meat may be damaging to health.

In the UK, the government recommends eating no more than 70g of red or processed meat a day - the equivalent of two slices of bacon."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22042995