Topic: The 5th Taste ( Miracle new food flavour enhancer used by Top Restaurants )

[artistpaul]

Hi Guys

Check out this article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1249571/Umami-Tubes-Taste-No-5-set-revolutionise-cooking-fifth-taste.html

[George]

At least one comment below that article seems to suggest it's no more than powdered MSG, turned into a paste, and sold at an inflated price in a tube. Waitrose is certainly one of the best places for inflated prices.

[PaulP]

This is nothing new at all. Umami was already well known.

MSG, Thai fish sauce (fermented anchovies), Chinese oyster sauce etc. do exactly the same thing. Seems to work well in oriental dishes but I'm not sure about curries.

[artistpaul]

Yeah maybe it is expensive in Waitrose but it only costs a few quid in Selfridges!

This product is completely not MSG, its composition is entirely natural chemicals unlike MSG which is a lab produced chemical.

It sounds like it will help produce that deep savoury taste we all are chasing, a bit like Bunjarra but without the hassle of having to make it.

[Mikka1]

Paul I would give this a try to.
Man if you don't try you just don't know based upon of course experience.

I do think however much of this is a sellover and a product marketing campaign. Everything pretty much is in our cupboards. It's what we do with it that really makes the difference, just like your Cob recipe right?

[Stephen Lindsay]

I saw something on the telly about this a few months ago but not quite sure what it has to do with curry.

[PaulP]

From what I've read the product contains anchovies, parmesan cheese and some mushroom type extract.

I don't think I'll be putting that in my curries although I'm sure it would work better for other cuisines.

[chinois]

What a terrible article, how does that newspaper still exist in this century?
That's an advert, not an article! 

It could be a useful ingredient though. Combining savoury flavours boost them so i like the idea of there being lots of them concentrated together. I imagine it would work well for basic ragu-style pasta dishes.

[JerryM]

they had a food expert on BBC1 breakfast this week - he sounded real convincing and i'm going to try it for sure.

[chinois]

I made a chilli con carne last night and used a heston blumenthal tip of making 'finishing butter'. It's lime juice and zest, chilli powder, cumin, worcestershire sauce, tabasco, ketchup and parmesan mixed into butter. It reminded me of this idea as there's a big savoury combo.
It's stirred in at the end, like when making a risotto or french gravy. It tasted nice and the meal was good and savoury enough that i didnt need MSG. How much difference did it make? I dont know but i suppose enough because i often find the savouriness lacking when using (supermarket) beef mince and tomatoes. The lime was nice but could be reduced to make the butter more universal. It's made out of stuff you've probably got lying around and it's quite a cool ingredient to have kicking about your fridge. Now to think up more things to use it for...