The science behind cholent

Ever learn that the four basic tastes are "sweet, sour, salt, and bitter"? There is a fifth taste evidently, and it's cholent:

MSG is a flavor enhancer in foods—some believe it may even provide a fifth basic taste sensation (in addition to sweet, sour, salt, and bitter), what the Japanese call "umami" (roughly translated as "tastiness"). MSG is considered an "excitotoxin," since its action in the body is to excite neurotransmitters (important brain chemicals), causing nerve cells to discharge and also exciting nerves related to taste.

What does this have to to with cholent (if the identification of the fifth tatse with "tastiness" didn't convince you)?

slow-cooking tends to cause small amounts of glutamic acid to be released from the protein sources (e.g., meat, chicken) in the recipe.

Natural MSG, in other words, is "released" from the meat in your cholent. According to Wikipedia,

All meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, as well as kombu are excellent sources of glutamic acid. Some protein-rich plant foods also serve as sources.

So the beans in a great deal of cholent and the eggs in Sephardi cholent figure in there somewhere also. The article I have been quoting wants you to cut back on MSG and would probably disapprove of cholent, but I'm not giving up mine and I trust you feel the same way. Now you have a greater appreciation for why it tastes good. We conclude with a reprise of the official theme of cholent-related blogging. Don't fear the cholent:

Shabbos Afternoon
What's that on my spoon
I got a sinking suspicion
That if bears some resemblance to food
We can really eat it

Come on Yidden . . . Don't fear the cholent
It ain't got no greens . . . Don't fear the cholent
We'll be able to shluff . . . Don't fear the cholent
Meat, potatoes, and beans . . .

Yankel Stein is done
Food but now its gone
Romeo and Juliet
Went wherever dead Gentiles go
Romeo and Juliet . . .

Probably a lot of folks are shluffin now . . . like Romeo and Juliet
But not in any big Italian afterlife . . . Gettin up for Mincha
Probably a lot of folks are shluffin now . . . we can be like they are

Come on Yidden. . .Don't fear the cholent
It ain't got no greens. . . Don't fear the cholent
We'll be able to shluff . . . Don't fear the cholent
Meat, potatoes, and beans . . .

Food for two is one
Here but now it's gone
Came the last bite of cholent
It was clear that was it for the meat
The bowl was empty, drool was on the beard
The guests got up and then disappeared
The eyelids drooped and then shluff appeared
Saying don't be afraid . . .

Crossposted on Soccer Dad