links for 2010-06-22

Umami was not discussed among the samurai or in the haiku of Basho. A mashup of umai, meaning "delicious," and mi, meaning "essence," this term and concept were created singlehandedly by the founder of Ajinomoto, a corporation whose net income topped $182 million last year, according to its own website — thanks largely, no doubt, to umami's trendiness. While glutamate occurs naturally in other foods, such as Parmesan cheese and soy sauce, MSG is the world's leading instant-umami shortcut.