The rise of the stock cube

This specific ingredient is a staple in many households, making simple foods delicious and easy. All you need to do is rehydrate the cube in some water and let the concentrated flavours do all the work. This little flavour cube filled with umami was created in 1884 by a swiss man named Julius Maggi. The idea was to help working-class families make wholesome foods quickly. Around the 1900s this little cube was launched around the world and around this time other companies had created and launched this product world wide as well.

Soon this flavour cube had made it's way into many indigenous communities and became incredibly successful in Central and West Africa and became an important part in the culture and the cuisine. For example classic dishes like Jollof rise and Poulet braise all needed a Maggi cube in order for it to be a classic dish and carry large amounts of flavour. Communities enjoyed the intense flavour of the cube and sometimes was crumbled over food to season it as one would with salt. During WW1, around 100 million bouillon cubes (similar product to Maggi but created by a British company) were given to the British soilders. In today's modern time, a company named Knorr sells around 600 cubes per second globally.

This cube makes an intense flavourful broth and people use it for flavouring soups, sauces and braises. The question of the hour is what is used to make these delicious stock cubes. Originally the cube was made from dried legumes such as beens, peas and lentils which are crushed to a powder which is then mixed with dehydrated meats or vegetables. The flavours were endless and the cubes carried flavours of garlic, basil, onion, parsley an tumeric. Due to the development of the ingredient, it is now made of several other ingredients such as corn flour, palm oil, fermented soya beans, sugar ,flavour enhances and more. Although this product is approved by regulatory authorities, some argue that the Maggi cube is deemed unhealthy when eaten in large quantities, however the flavoured cube still holds a strong stance in our everyday households!

References :

Mari Uyehara, 2023, the history of bouillon cubes, serious eats, 16/10, https://www.seriouseats.com/bouillon-cube-history#:~:text=In%201910%2C%20the%20British%20company,Switzerland%E2%80%94all%20of%20those%20bouillon , 14/08/2024

Lined Couington, 2023, what are Bouillon Cubes, the spruce eats, 19/01, https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-bouillon-cubes-and-how-are-they-used-5191351 , 14/08/2024

Nneka M.Okona, 2018, Every day a swiss cube drops into Nigerian pots, taste, 11/10, https://tastecooking.com/flavor-nigeria-swiss-ingredient/, 14/08/2024

Reuters, 2019, simmering stock cube battle shows evolving West African tastes, EuroNews, 19/02, https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/19/simmering-stock-cube-battle-shows-evolving-west-african-tastes , 14/08/2024

Anonymous, n.d, what ingredients make Maggi cubes? Explore the recipe behind the flavour, Maggi, n.d, https://www.maggi.cm/en/what-is-maggi-made-of/ , 14/08/2024

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