Taking its name from the Japanese, umami translates to ‘pleasant savoury taste’, it is made from glutamate (a type of amino acid) and ribonucleotides, which occur naturally in many foods.When humans eat, they use all of their senses:

but it is taste that is the most influential in determining how delicious a food is.

It has been thought that our sense of taste is comprised of four basic, or ‘primary’, tastes, which cannot be replicated by mixing together any of the other primaries:

However, it is now known that there is actually the fifth primary taste: umami

When you combine ingredients containing different umami-giving compounds, they enhance one another so the dish packs more flavour points making them moreish and (almost) addictive.

As the taste of umami itself is subtle and blends well with other tastes to expand and round out flavours, most people don’t recognise umami when they encounter it, but it plays an important role making food taste delicious.

Umami has a mild but lasting aftertaste that is difficult to describe. It induces salivation and stimulates the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth.

It is used in various forms all over the world. In Asia, it is mainly found in beans and grain, fermented seafood-based products, shiitake mushrooms, kombu and dried seafood.

Have you tried our new Chocolate Miso Ice cream? Once you try this moreish delight you won’t be able to stop…trust me! The combination of the rich dark chocolate and the salty miso paste creates a 5th taste sensation called UMAMI…