Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

AJI-NO-MOTO (MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE)

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

TIN

No. Pieces

2

Height

16.8

Length

7.6

Width

12.7

Description

SIZE: NET WT. 1 KG. GOLD TIN WITH BLACK LETTERING AND DESIGN. ON FRONT AND BACK OF TIN "REG'D TRADE MARK AJI-NO-MOTO SUPER-SEASONING. MANUFACTURED BY AJINOMOTO CO., INC." TOKYO, JAPAN, PLUS WRITINGS IN JAPANESE. INSTRUCTION FOR USE OF PRODUCT IS WRITTEN ON BOTH SIDES OF TIN -ONE SIDE IN JAPANESE, THE OTHER IN ENGLISH. INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPENING THE TIN ARE ON BOTTOM BOTH IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH.

Subjects

CONTAINER

MERCHANDISING T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

THE USE OF MONOSODIUM GLUTMATE WAS COMMON IN JAPANESE COOKING EVEN FROM EARLY TIMES. A COMMON INGREDIENT USED IN JAPAN, THE FLAVOR ENHANCER WAS IMPORTED IN SIZEABLE CANS FROM JAPAN. DONORS HUSBAND ONCE MANAGED THE BUDDHIST CHURCH AND THE CO-OP STORE IN RAYMOND. THE STORE ONCE FUNCTIONED TO RAISE BADLY NEEDED FUNDS FOR THE CHURCH AT ONE POINT. MRS. FLO SENDA (YOSH) IS DONORS DAUGHTER. SEE ATTACHED FAMILY HISTORY P19790275000-GA. COLLECTIONS TECH KEVIN MACLEAN INVITED THE DONOR’S DAUGHTER FLO SENDA TO THE GALT IN 2009 IN ORDER TO REVIEW EXISTING DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO HER MOTHER’S DONATION. HER COMMENTS WERE COMPILED BY MACLEAN AND SUBMITTED TO HER FOR VETTING IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR ACCURACY. ADDITIONALLY, SENDA’S BROTHER ROBERT (BOB) HIRONAKA REVIEWED THE COMMENTS. COLLECTIONS TECH KEVIN MACLEAN INVITED THE DONOR’S DAUGHTER FLO SENDA TO THE GALT IN 2009 IN ORDER TO REVIEW EXISTING DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO HER MOTHER’S DONATION. HER COMMENTS WERE COMPILED BY MACLEAN AND SUBMITTED TO HER FOR VETTING IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR ACCURACY. ADDITIONALLY, SENDA’S BROTHER ROBERT (BOB) HIRONAKA REVIEWED THE COMMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE DONOR’S DAUGHTER FLO SENDA (NEE HIRONAKA) IN 2009, MSG, A FOOD ADDITIVE, WAS APPLIED TO THE FAMILY’S DAILY VEGETABLES, MEAT, ETC. TO ENHANCE THE FOOD’S FLAVOUR. SENDA NOTED THAT, COMPARED TO TODAY, THE FAMILY APPLIED VERY LITTLE MSG TO THEIR COOKING. SHE RECALLED THAT A CONTAINER OF MSG WOULD SUFFICE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME ON ACCOUNT THAT ONLY A VERY SMALL QUANTITY WAS EVER USED. THE HIRONAKA FAMILY ATE VERY WELL. NOODLES WERE MADE EVERY WEEK. TEMPURA MADE WITH VEGETABLES - USUALLY PARSNIP AND GOBO (BURDOCK) - WAS ALSO SERVED. THE EVACUEES, ACCORDING TO SENDA, IMPORTED THE IDEA OF EATING CHOW MEIN AS PART OF THE JAPANESE CANADIAN’S S. ALBERTA DIET. DURING THE WINTER THEY ATE FRESH FISH - USUALLY WHITE FISH FROM N. ALBERTA - AND, IN THE SUMMER, THEY ACCESSED SUCKERS FROM THE IRRIGATION CANALS. FRESH FISH FOR NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS CAME FROM B.C. IF IT WAS COLD ENOUGH TO GET HERE IN THE WINTER. THEY HAD ACCESS TO MEAT (CATTLE), CHICKEN, MILK, ETC. ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR LOCATION ON A MIXED FARM. THE DONOR’S HUSBAND (SENDA’S FATHER) YOICHI HIRONAKA WAS A FORMER HOTEL COOK (WORKED AT THE DALLAS HOTEL IN LETHBRIDGE) AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THE FAMILY’S DAILY DIET INCORPORATED MANY WESTERN DISHES. FOR EXAMPLE, SENDA RECALLED EATING PORRIDGE, EGGS, HASH BROWNS AND TOAST FOR BREAKFAST AS A CHILD.

Catalogue Number

P19790272000

Acquisition Date

1978-12

Collection

Museum

Less detail