Virgilio Martinez

When I met umami for the first time, I was very little, about 10 years old. This occurred in the north coast of Peru when I ate ceviche with tomato and raw shrimp (it is strange and very different from a typical Peruvian ceviche. I was very close to the border with Ecuador). I assumed it had something to do with the mixing of flavors and from the very ripe tomato sauce and the shrimp broth.

I experienced a very intense deliciousness, but didn’t know how to describe it. Since then shrimp and tomatoes hold a special place in my memory. The umami taste for me is mouthwatering, somehow you start to feel a nice heaviness and depth in your mouth, full of a meaty sensation. It feels meaty…without depending on meat products.