3 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t
Think back to elementary school, and you'll likely recall doing experiments
on your tongue's receptors for sweet, sour, salty or bitter. But you probably
didn't hear much back then about umami, known for its rich and savory
quality, so The Clever Root set out to explore the powers of the unsung
fifth taste.
Our guides through the realm of taste were Chef Roy Villacrusis, an
umami expert and chef/owner of the soon-to-open Gaijin Asiatic Cuisine
in Las Vegas, and Chef George Sideras, an educator and chef for Nestlé
Professional. Before digging deep into the hard-hitting questions, we tossed
out an easy one: Simply put, what is umami?
"Umami is a delicious taste," begins Villacrusis. "The word itself is
Japanese, and we don't bother to translate it to other languages, but the
easiest way to describe it is 'deliciousness.' It is the taste we get when food
heavy in glutamate, a type of amino acid, is cooked or processed. Parme-
san cheese, grilled meat and protein-based broths have this taste. It's what
mushroom, beef, seaweed and cheese taste like at their core."
FLAVORS
Umami
WE
TURN
TO
TWO
CHEFS
TO
EXPLORE
WHAT
UMAMI
IS,
WHY
WE
LOVE
IT
AND
HOW
MAGGI
SEASONING
ADDS
IT
TO
DISHES
By
Rachel
Burkons
/
photos
by
Mona
Shield
Payne
Roasted pig ear terrine, saké-mint compressed
cantaloupe, fried lotus root chips, micro cilantro herb
salad, garlic chives and sweet soy reduction.
