Umami

The fifth taste- Umami
Can you imagine life without taste buds? One of life’s greatest pleasures is enjoying delicious food.

When we eat, all of our senses are used to form a judgment about our food. The most determining sense for food pleasure is that of taste. Our taste buds, while distinct to each of us, determine how delicious a food is. For many years we believed that our taste buds include only four distinctions- sweet, salty, bitter and sour. But we now know there are more.

Everyone is familiar with sweet, salty, bitter and sour. But are you aware of the fifth taste-umami? More than 100 years ago, scientist Dr Kikunae Ikeda from Tokyo Imperial University was enjoying his lunch of Dashi stock made from Kombu (kelp). He tasted deliciousness in his soup that he was unable to identify. Being a scientist, he took the soup into his lab and discovered that glutamate or glutamic acid was the main ingredient in kombu (kelp). In 1908, Dr Ikeda was successful in extracting glutamate from Kombu and names the taste “Umami.” He was confident that this taste had to be in Western foods as well, so further study was done. Ikeda said in 1912, “those who pay careful attention to their taste buds will discover in the complex flavor of asparagus, tomatoes, cheese and meat, a common and yet absolutely singular taste which cannot be called sweet, or sour, or salty, or bitter …”

It was not until the 1980’s that further discoveries were made supporting Umami. Other ingredients that offered the Umami taste, included inosinate (found in meats) and guanylate (found in vegetables).
Umami is a pleasant and savoury taste, which is derived from amino acids. It is subtle and blends well with other taste to expand and round out flavors. It is unrecognizable by most people, but it plays a vital role in making food taste delicious.

David Kasabian, author of “Umami: cooking with the Fifth Taste”, states that understanding Umami can be helpful to our diet and health in many ways. Umami enhances the flavor of foods making them fuller and richer in flavor and therefore more satisfying. When we are satisfied with our food, we tend to eat less of it. 

In addition, Umami makes salt taste saltier. So if you are interested in reducing the amount of salt in your diet, increase the amount Umami rich foods you eat. Finally Umami creates a sensation on your palate that chefs referred to as “mouth feel.” We think of “mouth feel” as the sensation we get from eating fat. So if we want to reduce the amount of fat we eat, increase the amount of Umami rich foods.

Are you wondering if you have eaten Umami rich foods, but were unaware? Here is a list of foods where can you find Umami.

Seafood
Seaweed, kombu
Dried Bonita flakes
Dried sardines
Tuna
Mackerel
Cod
Shell fish
Prawn
Oysters

Meats
Beef
Pork
Chicken

Vegetables
Shiitake mushrooms
Enokitake mushrooms
Soy beans
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Chinese cabbage

Other
Parmesan cheese
Green tea
Soy sauce
Chicken eggs
Oyster sauce

Arugula

Saturday was a  nice early spring-like day.  After a difficult winter, I was so excited to feel a bit of spring in the air and so I rushed over to the Nursery and purchased all my seeds for my vegetable garden. Then yesterday I was rudely awoken to snow on the ground.  I guess that is how nature works. Well, snow or not, spring really is just a few short weeks away and early planted season will be upon us.

Have you thought about gardening for yourself this year?  How about just a container salad bowl garden?  With just a large pot you could grow a variety of lettuce and greens to make a delicious salad.  I would suggest planting some arugula.

Arugula, also known as wild rocket , garden rocket, rucchetta, rughetta or rucola (Italian) or roquette (french), has been around since colonial times. It has made a fashionable reappearance in the last decade. You may have had it atop a pizza or served with a little round of goat cheese.  It is peppery in flavor, tender and mustard shaped.  It is a relative of the radish and water cress, yet more intense in flavor.

Basic Use:

Arugula is an excellent addition to any mesclum salad, adding a sharpness of flavor. It is great for balancing sweet (like figs, pomegranates, raisins), sharp (goat or blue cheeses), salty (olives, capers or prosciutto), rich (creamy and mild cheeses, nuts and avocado), acid (lemon, grapefruit and vinegar) or bland (eggs, potatoes, and beans). When cooked, arugula loses it's bite and becomes softer in flavor.

Selection:

Arugula is sold year round at grocery stores.  You will find it in bunches, usually with roots still attached. Avoid bunches with bruised or yellowing leaves and/or waterlogged roots.  A slight limpness is not problematic.

Storage: 

Buy just what you need as arugula is very perishable..  Remove any undesirable leaves and wrap the remainder in a damp towel, enclose in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Do not keep for more than 2 days.

Preparations:

Sand will hide well in leaves, so a thorough washing is necessary. Cut off the roots, then submerge the leaves in lukewarm water. Swish leaves around well.  Let stand a moment, then gently lift up so that the sand remains in container of water. Repeat process 1-2 more times, until all sand is removed. Spin dry leaves, then wrap in a dry towel and return to refrigerator to chill until you are ready to use.

Give it a try:

Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad

1/2 pound arugula

1 small red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

pinch of sea salt

1/4 walnut oil

1/4 pound goat cheese, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. wash arugula, as instructed above

2. Place arugula in large bowl.  Top with red onion and walnuts

3. Mix vinegar, oil and salt together. Pour over arugula.

4. Top with goat cheese.

It's National Nutrition Month!

Each year in March we celebrate National Nutrition Month.  This year's theme is "Eat Right with Color." 
What does it mean to eat with color? Well when you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of various colors you guarantee a diet rich in nutrients, flavors, textures and shapes found in food.  Eating a variety of food also enhances our eating pleasure. Eating a rainbow of colors will put you on the road to good health.  So why not aim for orange, red, tan, yellow and green produce today!

National nutrition month is sponsored by the American Dietetic Association. To learn more about "Eat right with color" visit http://www.eatright.org/