For The Best Cocktails, You Need A Pinch Of MSG

They say that you can't improve on the classics, and cocktails are particularly resistant to change. For every martini made deliciously dirty or successful bloody mary transformation with beef broth, there's some offbeat local specialty that everybody knows is no good, but which remains elevated out of civic pride. The oldies are goodies for a reason, and nothing has ever been gained by running wild with vermouth or introducing some incongruous garnish to an otherwise perfectly dignified drink. But narrowly detectable tinkering can be a boon.

Speaking of tomato-based tipples, some of what makes 'em so tasty is a little MSG. It's present in a ton of commercial bloody mary mixes, and occurs naturally in the vine fruit itself. (This is also why a little MSG can revive bland tomatoes.) Monosodium glutamate is also added to some olive varieties, so dirty devotees might really be returning for that flavor-enhancing MSG. Why not see what this unfairly maligned, everyday seasoning (with some of the cutest packaging around) can do in other cocktails?

Monosodium glutamate is an amino acid derivative; A sodium salt derivative, to be precise. And, in the way that plain old salt or sugar sends signals to the brain, for most people, MSG will set off pleasure bells. The majority of those brains will describe MSG's overall effect as umami-like. Ergo, MSG will likely perform best in your more savory drinks. Those bloodies, of course, are the exemplar of the genre, sometimes approximating a whole darn bowl of soup. But because they're already most likely packing plenty of MSG, there's no need to pile it on. MSG is the definition of "a little goes a long way."

Instead, add it into cocktails more likely to be absent of the stuff. Even those dirty martinis will have less salt than tomato-based drinks, so add a little bit before you shake or stir it up. MSG would also play marvelously in something like a smoky mezcal margarita. And über boozy drinks like the Manhattan and old fashioned are also particularly conducive to inclusion. You can add a couple shakes right into your drink and mingle vigorously to incorporate, but it will distribute more evenly as a liquid itself. To make one, simply follow a 2-to-1 ratio with water. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of MSG, for example, into 2 tablespoons of water. Then use as you would any tincture. Start with a couple of drops per drink and adjust to taste.