Trader Joe’s UMAMI MUSHROOM SEASONING

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/tjs-mushroom-company-multipurpose-umami-seasoning-blend-063804

“Have you heard about umami? You’ve most certainly tasted it, even if you’ve never heard the word. Umami is the word used to describe the fifth taste – in addition to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Taken from Japanese, the word translates to ‘pleasant savory taste’, and really, it’s just that. And it’s really just something you’re going to want to put on everything. To create this Umami Seasoning Blend, we began with kosher salt, and used a flavor base of porcini and white button mushrooms – earthy mushroom flavor really is the cornerstone of umami, which is why we named it Mushroom & Company. The ingredient list also includes onion, mustard seed, red & black pepper, and thyme… If you follow an eating plan like we do, also known as Anything and Everything, Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Umami Seasoning Blend will elevate the flavors of Anything and Everything, a sprinkle at a time” – Trader Joe’s

I’ve read some discussions on Reddit where people wonder if this seasoning actually “does anything”. Trust me, it does. Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Seasoning Blend is useful. It contains two kinds of mushrooms, porcini and button, along with other seasonings. Mushrooms contain glutamates. Glutamates give food that “umami” taste.

Sometimes when I’m making something and it just tastes a little flat, and I don’t know what to add to make it taste better, I frequently turn and try adding a bit of this seasoning (aka Magic Mushroom Powder) and it usually does just the trick of making things just taste better. Seriously you won’t know until you’ve tried this magic powder. For just one little instance where I use this really useful is ground turkey. I add this seasoning to ground turkey to improve it’s bland flavor, for example making turkey burgers. They are vastly improved with the Umami seasoning. Or chicken, fish, veggies, tofu, eggs or frankly anything for that matter.

As this blend does contains some salt, you want to use a little less salt than you normally might add, Use this and correct the seasoning to see if any additional salt is needed. However I don’t find this seasoning blend to be a salt bomb, it’s got a lot of other ingredients. I’ve even come up with using this seasoning to create a little veggie broth in a pinch.

I would buy this again.

Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Seasoning Blend, $2.99 (2 oz)