The other night I was tucking my 10 year old daughter in to bed, and she says to me “Mom, remind again what the fifth taste is….” A little taken aback I said…”Umm..do you mean UMAMI?” “Yes! I love that word! Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami!”
OK. So I know I am to blame. She likes truffles – black, white and the chocolate variety. One day she came home from school disappointed that her friends had no idea that chocolate truffles got their name from the fungus variety sniffed out by pigs. She loves a rare steak cooked on charcoal, Lesley Stowe crackers, and only real Parmigiano Reggiano on her pasta. She will engage you in debate over the city’s best pizza; don’t even mention Pizzeria Libretto which she dismisses as hype, preferring iconic Terroni and Dino’s on the Queensway. I am fully aware I have created a gourmet food eating monster and I will pay (literally) for introducing her to all manner of food at such a young age.
Back to umami – the fifth taste. The word is Japanese derived from “umai” meaning delicious and “mi” meaning taste. Delicious taste. Who wouldn’t like that? Think of a perfectly ripe tomato. It’s neither pure sweet, sour, salty or bitter, but rather delicious, and almost unclassifiable. Almost…except……it’s actually umami defined. Rich in glutamates, umami is universally liked by all humans. Mark Schatzker in his book Steak, (http://steakthebook.com/welcome/) describes the juices in a rare piece of meat as “rich in umami”. Think wild mushrooms, the outer caramelized bit of a roast, Iberico ham, parmesan cheese…anything that’s well…yummy.
Until recently umami was the domain of high end chefs and devout foodies – discussed and debated in serious food circles. I mean after all, this “so called” new fifth taste was not even scientifically proven until 1908. Laura Santtini, however, is bringing umami to the people, with her Taste #5 Umami Paste. Well, people willing to pay 7 bucks for 70g of flavour. She has combined classic umami ingredients into one super cool tube of flavour punching power. Tomato paste, garlic, anchovy paste, balsamic vinegar, porcini, parmesan brought together in perfect harmony to kick start flavour in any dish. I was shy at first, I mean…couldn’t I create my own unami? Couldn’t I layer my own flavours to create pure deliciousness? Sure I could, but hey – how super handy to have secret weapon at the ready when that sauce just needs a little something? When that burger needs a little push? When that risotto needs a little foundation?
Umami, the fifth taste….now available in a handy dandy tube. It’s even easy to carry around in your purse, you know, just in case you are in danger of eating something not classifiable as “yummy”. I may even slip a tube into my daughter’s lunch bag in case she finds what I have made her falls a little short of her expectations.
http://www.laurasanttini.com/home.html
Laura Santtini’s Taste #5 is coming to Canada thanks to Neal Brother’s Foods…look for it in the coming weeks at speciality shops. You will be able to find it, and my favourite Skillet Street Food’s BACON JAM on opening day at the new All the Best Fine Foods. After four years in a temporary location up the street, All the Best Fine Foods is finally moving back into its permanent newly restored home on Tuesday, February 15. I got the chance to have a pre-opening peek and let me tell you, this is one spectacular store that’s going to be loaded with goodies – check it out.
http://www.allthebestfinefoods.com/index.html
