monosodium glutamate is love

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

Many citizens of our humble square harbor dirty little secrets. Some are secretly homosexual. Others, fearing rebuke from the hott dykes at Diesel, are secretly heterosexual. Still others sneak Frappuccino® from Starf*ckers on days of especially weepy-inducing events.

But I am comfortable with my ambiguous sexuality, and my periodic support of that large coffee selling corporation that represented the epicenter of my sexual harassment hell during one muggy Charlottesville summer.

Of all vices, though, many of our Davis Square friends pretend to hate MSG. Today, I have abandoned that secret society. Indeed, the love that used to dare not speak its name is screaming from the rooftops.

I used to guiltily order Chinese food only from restaurants where the "no MSG" disclaimer was conspicuously absent. I'd swallow those crystals of umami deliciousness as the disapproving moralizers of my socially conscious, organic food crusading friends clamored in my head.

BUT NO MORE. After years of careful negotiation, I have accepted my unrelenting love of MSG. Monosodium glutamate is love. Even more like love than gay marriage, because marriages usually result in the hell that is an unfulfilling sex life and simmering resentments after a few years. MSG would never do me so wrong. And, MSG will never guilty trip me into to adopting a baby because all the heteros are doing it.

I want to go buy a container of MSG crystals, and I want to do it NOW.

You, dear readers, should advise me on a nearby business that will vend me such umami bliss. A corporate store would be better. Because I'm in Watertown and I want to pick that stuff without altering my course which is the closest thing to a straight line (the roads in Boston metro being notoriously plagued with one way signs and road rage) between here and home cooked umami with broccoli, tofu, and black bean sauce on the side.

So, fair citizens of Davis Square, do help me out. xo.

PS – Here is a Wikipedia article on MSG for your reading pleasurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

Comments

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

Your courage is...er...admirable.


Almost any decent Asian market should be able to sell you a bottle of MSG. The Super88 in Allston is probably your best bet, though I wouldn't be surprised if you could get it at the little market in Union Square (can't remember the name) or even Kotobukiya in the Porter Exchange.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

OMG, the extent of my MSG discrimination is only paralleled by the toils of 22nd century Angry White Males. How dare we all forget that they are inherently more entitled? Really, the world should show more sensitivity for their plight.

Union Square

[magid.livejournal.com]

Reliable Market?

[myselftheliar.livejournal.com]

I don't know where to get MSG. but my friend has LOTS OF IT in his pantry. and he lives in davis sq. so when he returns home this evening, I will ask, and you shall recieve an answer

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I need a big ass container of MSG. I'm gonna start putting it in my breakfast cereal. For reals!

[myselftheliar.livejournal.com]

MSG was purchased at cherry mart on newbury st

[diego001.livejournal.com]

Wellll, you might as well just tell your friends that MSG is completely naturally-occurring and it's found on every kind of food, even organic foods.

I mean, really.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

What you said.

[shu-al.livejournal.com]

This place in Watertown (http://www.russos.com/index.html) may have what you're looking for.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh!

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

There is a Reliable Market in Union Square; you could give them a call before heading over. There's also the Super 88 in Allston as well as the one in Chinatown and they both carry it.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

I bought a huge bag at Super 88. Thanks for the info!

[ron_newman]

Isn't this sold in ordinary supermarkets under the brand name 'Accent' ?

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

I've never seen that. But I will look in the future.

The name and the secret.

[rosiewoodboat.livejournal.com]

All you need to know is what MSG is called on the street:

"chinese seasoning."

Most every chinese market will have it in big bags with this name.

[denonymous.livejournal.com]

Don't bother with all of these suggestions -- simply order from Kee Kar Lau! So good it makes my face numb.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

Face numbness is love.

I'll keep your advice in mind.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

Penzey's in Arlington Heights carries it, or you can also order it from their website (www.penzeys.com).

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

The concept of "upscale MSG" hurts my brain almost as badly as consuming the stuff would. (I get killer headaches if I consume too much, so I try to avoid it if I can.)

[tisana.livejournal.com]

How did I miss that Penzey's had it?
Everyone should visit Penzey's at least once anyway. I'm not a total slavish fangirl or anything... ;p
Nope nope.

Really, though, the only seasoning not worth bothering with was their take on Chinese Five Spice, which was way too cinnamon-y. I've loved everything else from them. So I might have to try their MSG to see if it, too, is better than other brands.

[seaweedgirle.livejournal.com]

I am a total fangirl. Penzey's rocks!

[yangelina.livejournal.com]

Chinatown's gotta have some. There are three SuperMarkets that I know of:

Super 88 on Essex
A little place on Oxford St
Another place on Harrison Ave between Beach/Kneeland

I hear you on this one. And having discovered that I ate MSG daily for the first 15 years of my life and I'm still going strong at 27, I do wonder if I've built up some sort of immunity to it. I hope you will enjoy it as I have.

[tisana.livejournal.com]

Confirming that Super 88 (the Dorchester location, in the South Bay shopping center, at least) has large bags for extremely cheap.

I think not everyone is sensitive to it...I'm not. I like adding it to things. I made some seasoned hamburgers for friends that had MSG, among other things...I was wondering if I'd be lambasted for using it, or for not telling people since some are sensitive. But lordy, it makes things taste better.

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

Most chain restaurants that involve seasoned meats (Outback, Bugaboo, Chili's, etc.) use MSG. And no one puts up a fuss because they don't know. Because people only assoicate MSG with chinese and other asian cuisine restaurants. Part of me wonders if the some reations aren't psychosomatic.

[rxrfrx.livejournal.com]

Psychosomatic xenophobia.

[rxrfrx.livejournal.com]

The suggestions for Reliable Market or Super 88 are the best, because it's like $1.50 for a year's supply of MSG, but for future reference, in case anybody needs a super quick fix, you can usually buy MSG in regular supermarkets under the brand name Accent. It's probably $3 for a little salt shaker thingy of it.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Your prose rocks my lonely little world.

[ihavemeaning.livejournal.com]

Ah, shucks. Thanks!

[yangelina.livejournal.com]

I agree! This was totally entertaining to read.

specialty stores not needed...

[julishka.livejournal.com]

you can probably get it at your local star/shaws/stopnshop. the mainstream product name is Accent or Ac'cent. it comes in a tall cardboard can just smaller than a bread crumb can and you'd find it in the spice aisle.

(that is unless they've discontinued selling it.)

[mycroft.livejournal.com]

Super 88 markets (http://www.super88market.com/)