I know, I never vented my frustrations over Thursday’s Gun Control Ruling. Just trust me when I say that there were many, which my mother can attest to since she’s the one who heard me curse at the tv screen for several hours after work (in front of my grandmother, mind you).
Today, however, I want to talk about a new word I just learned: Umami.
It’s a Japanese word that implies a fifth type of taste sensing (on top of the Western concepts of sweet, sour, bitter and salty). I suppose it broadly falls under the “savory” category, but, in its purest firm, seems to imply a perfection of flavors and tastes that brings together the senses (mainly smell and sigh) and brings the human quite nearly close to Nirvana (OK, not really, but theoretically I think this is the goal).
As with most concepts that transcend Western categorization, I still can’t quite get my head around the concept (so, if someone could explain it in layman’s terms, that’d be great), but I’m quite intrigued by the idea of it. Basically, the amino acid glutamate causes umani, or a sense of heartiness to the flavor of a particular food, commonly meat, cheese and all things Italian (sweet). From my understanding, the presence of glutamate acid, along with other factors of sight and smell, is what helps us decide whether or not a food is delicious. I suppose, on some levels, this explains our obsession with red meat.
Somehow I think umami is a word best understood when put into use. So, next time you eat a hearty or delicious meal, drop this word on the dinner table (make sure you have a look of utter pleasure and satisfaction on your face when you use the word, to help cue your peers in but still look cool–and no, this word does not refer to foods that are aphrodiasics specifically).
Still confused both by the concept and my babble? Visit the website completely devoted to Umami (or just go to the Wikipedia entry).
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UMMMM! So, would anything made with cream cheese (aka dip) qualify as umami?