Breakaway Flavor and Umami

Posted by Jacqueline Church Apr 2, 2008

Umami is the so-called "Fifth Taste" - discovered by a Japanese scientist some decades ago. Many chefs and home cooks alike know it, we've just never been vindicated until recently. Interesting how knowledge accumulates in culture...

Anyway, the cool thing is that you can enhance the flavor of nearly everything you cook with a natural umami-rich salt. I wrote about it here and shared links to the favored cookbook by David and Anna Kasabian, The Fifth Taste.

The Kasabian's recommend keeping these Umami-rich ingredients in your pantry, along with Eric's Umami Salt:

• Soy sauce,
• worcestershire sauce,
• Asian fish sauce,
• canned tomatoes or tomato paste in a tube,
• parmigiano-reggiano, dried shiitake mushrooms.

I'd add Marmite to the list. Swirl a bit into a soup for an instant additional depth of flavor.

Eric Gower is a blogger, chef and writer to know. His Breakaway Cook blog has new posts regularly that include familiar dishes with new twists that add flavor in healthful ways.

Try this Umami Salt as a way to add savory depth to your dinner. Similar to other finishing salts, this one adds a lot of oomph to your food.