Put MSG in Everything, You Cowards
By now, we should all be completely unafraid of monosodium glutamate, the umami-boosting molecule more commonly referred to as “MSG.” It will not give you headache, it will not make…
The Difference Between Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce, and Lobster Sauce (and How to Use Them)
The food world has no shortage of potentially confusing terminology (and I’m not even talking about techniques where the French names happened to stick). Take, for example, fish sauce. The…
Five Asian Sauces That Make Everything Taste Better
I was obsessed with helping my mom cook growing up (hard to believe, I’m sure). Though she would dabble in making Italian food, and try out popular boxed ingredients of…
You Should Cure an Egg Yolk in Soy Sauce
If anything could get me to believe in a higher power (and the fact that they have a sense of humor), it’s the existence of eggs. They’re a perfect food…
The Best Vegan ‘Fish Sauce’ is a Bottle of Maggi Seasoning
Love it or hate it, everyone who’s encountered fish sauce can agree it’s anything but bland—yet that’s exactly what vegan fish sauce often is. Taking a whiff or little taste…
This James Beard Recipe Is My New Favorite Way to Cook Asparagus
It’s giving spring, baby.Photo: Claire Lower One thing I have enjoyed about owning a house is finding all sorts of plants—that I did not plant—growing around the property. One of…
9 Unexpected Things You Should Season With MSG
Photo: gowithstock (Shutterstock) This is by far my most controversial MSG take, but the stuff is—in actual fact—very good on an apple. It functions like parmesan, providing a savory counterpoint…
Your Melted Butter Needs Fish Sauce
Yes, that is microwave popcorn. It’s all I had.Photo: Claire Lower In terms of fishy flavor enhancers, fermented Southeast Asian fish sauce is my absolute favorite. I love a tinned…