exploring umami: the fifth taste

Copyright 2008 David Kasabian

Exploring Umami: The Fifth Taste

With David Kasabian, co-author, The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami

[email protected]


What Umami is

Just like sweet, sour, salty and bitter,

Umami is an ingredient-activated taste sensation

that contributes to the enjoyment of food


Why care about Umami?

Food WITH umami

tastes rich, deep,

satisfying and long-

lasting.

Food WITHOUT

umami can taste

shallow, insipid and

fleeting.


Umami tastes like?

Meaty

BrothyBeefy

Savory


Some familiar Umami-tasting ingredients include:

Parmesan cheese Ripe tomatoesBraised beef Mushrooms

Asian fish sauce MSG

Umami tastes like?


What tastes Umami?Foods taste Umami when they contain:

1. Free amino acidshighly-available protein building blocks, and peptides, simple amino acid chains

2. Nucleotidesrelated to RNA and DNA, e.g., IMP, GMP, XMP


Umami Taste & Synergy

05

10

15202530

3540

Glu Ser Ala Gly Asn Lys

Amino only+ Nucleotide

Nelson, Greg, et al. Nature, March 2002


Recipe: Crab a la LabCombine and mix well…• Glycine • Alanine • Arginine• MSG• IMP • Salt

Kenzo Kurihara and Makoto Kashiwayanagi, Hokkaido University, Japan, 2000


What Umami Does for FoodIn an otherwise well-balanced dish, umami:

• Heightens impact • Contributes mouth feel • Enhances flavors of other ingredients• Delays palate fatigue • Promotes satiety • Extends finish


Umami Taste Interactions

Softens sour Masks bitter

UM

AM

I

UM

AM

IHeightens perceived salt

Heightens perceived sweet


What gives food Umami?1. It is often in food when we get it …• Natural endowment

– Oysters, sea vegetables, mushrooms • Maturity

– Ripe tomatoes– Older animals, e.g., fowl, mutton

• More exercised muscle – Pot roast vs. filet mignon– Tuna vs. cod


What gives food Umami?2. And we can do things to develop it…• Aging – natural enzyme action

– Dry aged beef– Cured hams and sausage

• Fermenting – inoculation enzyme action– Bacteria, e.g., cheese – Fungi, e.g., wine, pickles, artisan bread

• Cooking – heat agitation – Braising – Searing


Sources of Umami taste

Some garden vegetables, e.g.,• Ripe tomatoes • Winter squash • Legumes • Corn • Mature potatoes



Sea vegetables, e.g., • Kombu • Nori (dried laver)• Arame, wakame, dulce



Meats, e.g.• Cured ham • Pork• Turkey • Chicken • Beef, lamb



Finfish & Shellfish, e.g., • Dark finfish (mackerel, tuna,

anchovies) • Most shellfish (crab, oyster, mussel,

sea urchin)



Fungi, e.g., • Shiitake mushrooms • Portobello mushrooms • Truffles • Yeast



Condiments, e.g., • Asian fish sauce • Soy sauce • Worcestershire sauce • Caesar dressing • Ketchup



Beverages, e.g., • Wine • Beer • Sake



Some dairy, e.g., • Parmigiano Reggiano • Other hard aged cheeses • Blue-veined cheese • Cheddar, Ementhal, etc. • NOT cow’s milk• Eggs


Sources of Umami tasteTaste Enhancers, e.g.,

• MSG, other glutamates • Isolated nucleotides

• Yeast products • Fish products

• Amino/nucleotide • cocktails


The Art of the Umami Bomb


Everyday Umami Bomb

Tomatoes

Cheese

Mushrooms

AnchoviesBread

Sausage

PIZZA


Everyday Umami Bomb

Shrimp

Fish Sauce

Egg

Peanuts

PAD THAI


Everyday Umami BombCHEESEBURGER

BeefCheese

KetchupBacon


Professional Umami Bomb

Chef Jean George Vongerichten, Jean George, NY

Parmesan Custard with White TrufflesWith Umami from

• Parmiggiano Reggiano Cheese

• Shaved white truffles

• Egg


Professional Umami BombSpicy Sour ShrimpWith umami from: • Shrimp • Fermented bean paste • Soy sauce • Enoki mushrooms

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Nobu, 12 locations worldwide


Professional Umami BombPea Cakes and Salsa With umami from: • Peas (lima, pink eyes, etc.) • Corn bread • Eggs • Tomatoes

Chef Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, Alabama


Professional Umami Bomb

My Father’s Famous Shrimp Hors d’oeuvresWith Umami from: • Shrimp • Blue cheese

Chef Lydia Shire, Locke-Ober, Boston


Professional Umami BombMushrooms in Potato ShellsWith umami from:• Dried wild mushrooms • Fresh shiitakes and chanterelles• Tomato • Soy sauce• Potatoes

Chef Hubert Keller, Fleur de Lys, San Francisco and Las Vegas


Professional Umami BombRoast Pork with White BeansWith umami from: • Pork• Bacon• White beans • Chicken broth • Tomatoes

Chef Bradley Ogden, Lark Creek Inn, Larkspur CA, Bradley Ogden, Las Vegas


NYT: Best Restaurant in America

Grilled sashimi of chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms

Potato chips with black truffle shavingsOkinawan style braised pork

(Boston baked heirloom rice beans, homemade kimchee)

Sake braised short ribs(Dashi soy simmered potatoes)


Umami Café

Cubano Spring Rolls Thai Style Veggie Spring Rolls

Crabby Patties Tomato and Corn Summer Salad

Truffled Mac and Cheese Portabello Veggie Stack

Penne Pasta with porcini cream sauce Shrimp Adobo

Achiote marinated skirt steak with French fries

Chef Jonathan Pratt


Adding Umami to Your Menu

• Think umami at all times

• Incorporate Asian and Mediterranean ingredients and ideas

• Explore unique umami combinations

• Consider umami boosters

• Tell guests your food is umami


Conclusion

• Taste is a biological imperative• People crave attractive tastes:

sweet, salty and umami • We enjoy aversive tastes:

sour and bitter • Balancing tastes, aromas, textures

is key to success


Finally

Whatever you do, don’t forget the umami.

exploring umami: the fifth taste

Health & Medicine

david kasabian

umami isjust

umami tastes

enjoyment of food copyright

umamifood withouttastes