MSG Adds An Instant Umami Punch To Your Cocktails And Mocktails

Fans of savory-sweet desserts and drinks rejoice! There's a secret ingredient that will add an instant umami punch to your cocktails and mocktails. We've defined umami as the fifth taste that's hard to describe. It's that savory deliciousness coating your tastebuds when you chomp on a buttery rib-eye or fatty ribs. It's why you always crave deliciously seasoned fried rice, dumplings, or dim sum. Umami is easy to achieve when you sprinkle a little of the secret ingredient, monosodium glutamate (or MSG), into your dishes or drinks. This shouldn't surprise you when MSG is also the secret ingredient you should use to take your holiday dishes to the next level. And don't be worried about outdated concerns that MSG is harmful, the FDA has recognized the additive as safe for consumption.

For cocktails and mocktails with a savory twist, like bloody marys, margaritas, and dirty martinis, a pinch of MSG instantly amplifies the savory and umami flavors without adding salt. MSG contains 2/3 less sodium than table salt, making it a great seasoning, especially for those watching their sodium and salt intake. Cocktails and mocktails with MSG are so good they have been blowing up on social media. Searching "msg martini" on TikTok alone will lead to endless recipes and reviews of the savory and umami-laden cocktail to scroll through. 

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You can easily incorporate MSG into many classic cocktails and mocktails. Mix a dash of MSG directly into the brine for cocktails and mocktails with a salty brine, like pickle juice, jalapenos, caper, or okra. Adding MSG will transform any dirty martini from good to unforgettable and full of umami-rich flavor. With tequila shots, instead of just licking salt off your hand, lick a mixture of salt and MSG before taking the shot. Then you have drinks with a salt rim, like margaritas. Instead of just adding salt to the rim, add MSG. The salt rim can be a half-and-half mix of MSG and salt. You might find yourself licking the rim again and again. 

With vegetable-based cocktails and mocktails, like bloody marys, you can enhance the tomatoes' natural umami with a pinch of MSG. Stir in a dash of MSG, or incorporate bouillon cubes or powder. Ready to add MSG to your next cocktail or mocktail to amp up the umami? Check out our non-alcoholic and mocktail recipes and see which ones could use some of our secret ingredient, MSG.