U is for Umami - A to Z Challenge

OK, today I am cheating, umami is not an ingredient but I really couldn’t find one for U. It is, nevertheless, an important word in cooking and eating.The word is made from the Japanese umai (delicious) and mi (taste). This is lifted directly from Wiki. Umami has a mild but lasting aftertaste that is difficult to describe. It induces salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth. By itself, umami is not palatable, but it makes a great variety of foods pleasant especially in the presence of a matching aroma. But like other basic tastes, with the exception of sucrose, umami is pleasant only within a relatively narrow concentration range. The optimum umami taste depends also on the amount of salt, and at the same time, low-salt foods can maintain a satisfactory taste with the appropriate amount of umami. In fact, Roininen et al. showed that ratings on pleasantness, taste intensity and ideal saltiness of low-salt soups were greater when the soup contained umami, whereas low-salt soups without umami were less pleasant. Some population groups, such as the elderly, may benefit from umami taste because their taste and smell sensitivity is impaired by age and medicine. The loss of taste and smell can contribute to poor nutrition, increasing their risk of disease.

Ripe tomatoes being rich in umami so long as salt is used, here is one of my favourite snacks which I have been eating since I was a kid.

Tomato Toast

For each person

1 Slice of bread, toasted
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
Slices of tomato to cover
Salt and pepper

Rub the toast all over with the garlic then spread the olive oil over the toast. Cover with slices of tomato, season to taste and then enjoy.

Have a great day