Vegeta - what's that?

I'm planning a meal that will include a Yugoslavian course. Yes I know Yugoslavia doesn't exist any more but I went there when it was Yugoslavia and that's how I remember it. Well mostly to Croatia but a little bit of Serbia and Montenegro. Maybe Bosnia too. Anyway whilst I was having my hair cut by my Yugoslav descended hairdresser I asked him about what I should cook. He had a lot of useful information, tips and recipes but the most interesting thing was that he said I should use Vegeta. Which I had never heard of, but which, I was told, was available in my local supermarket. And indeed it is - with all the salts and stocks, because it's a sort of cross between a stock and a flavour enhancer. I think my hairdresser used it more as a flavour enhancer than a stock, although it seems to be marketed here as a stock.

It was invented in 1959 by a food scientist, Zlata Bartl in Croatia, so it is indeed Croatian. Although it started small it rapidly became so popular that it is now marketed in 40 countries worldwide - including Australia. Presumably where Croatians have settled. So what is it? Well no doubt the formula is a closely guarded secret, but it seems to be basically salt and dehydrated vegetables with flavour enhancers including MSG. The ingredients are listed on the tin of course, but the word spices, for example, doesn't really tell you anything, although the vegetables are listed - carrot, parsnip, onions, celery, parsley leaves.

So far I have not purchased any because of that MSG. Although apparently you can get a non MSG version - you don't seem to be able to get that here. Besides the MSG might be what makes it so good. MSG has been described as an umami kind of flavour - that je ne sais quoi that makes things taste so good. So I have been investigating a little and it seems that our 1960s alarm over MSG that caused havoc to the Chinese restaurant community, was very probably overdone. They have done double blind tests and can find no evidence of the symptoms it was supposed to have caused. Both the US and the European Union have passed it as safe for use. And I presume Australia has too. So perhaps I should buy some. It does seem to be a staple of Croatian cuisine. And surely one little sprinkle won't kill us? People must use it every day if it's in the supermarket.

Trouble is I can't quite remember how I was supposed to use it. I think it might have been sprinkled over the cabbage salad. I might take him up on his offer of advice if I need any.