Friday, January 28, 2005

New words

One of the things I'm avoiding other work with is a sekrit project which most of all y'all know about. So here's a word that's not so secret and not so drafted as some of Mr. Butner's contributions:

Umami!
(Japanese)
The taste sensation for the 21st century. Salt? So Bronze Age! Sweet? The 20th century sure covered that. Bitter? Mmm, melon: but prohibition killed bitters sales although a few fans are still waiting for the tide to turn. And sour's time (outside of extreme candies, ugh) is yet to come.
We want flavor, flava, the richer and more sensational, the better. Umami is savory; it’s viscosity: it’s more, more, more. It’s why Heinz ketchup keeps on selling, why Chinese takeout and Mom’s chicken soup can’t be beat. Umami is what you’ve been looking for and didn’t know how to ask for.

3 Comments:

Blogger Christopher Barzak said...

Oishii is the traditional way to say something is delicious in Japan, but the kids at my junior high taught me a piece of slang (which of course prudish adults discourage) where you say, "Majiume" or "Majiumai" which means, "this is seriously delicious" the top of the top.

3:22 AM  
Blogger Ted said...

Isn't umami pretty much just the taste of monosodium glutamate?

7:25 PM  
Blogger Gavin said...

> Ted said...
> Isn't umami pretty much just the taste of monosodium glutamate?

Yes! And I read recently that MSG is getting rehabilitated a little, so there's hope for us all yet.

11:30 AM  

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