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Appears in
Umami The Fifth Taste
Forewords by Thomas Keller and Harold McGee
Introduction by Yoshihiro Murata
Photographs by Akira Saito
JAPAN PUBLICATIONS TRADING CO., LTD.
Umami is a universal taste, and although Japanese cooking has codified the term, chefs across cultures understand the balance and depth it brings to a dish. There is a cultural connection among chefs, one that crosses ethnic boundaries and language barriers, and this book is a perfect example of that connection.
In a discussion of umami in their worlds, some of the finest chefs introduce us to the fifth taste through anecdotes and recipes. Heston Blumenthal challenges our sense of taste and sound with a scallop dish featuring birch syrup, bergamont and coral royale. Peru’s Virgilio Martinez recalls “meeting” umami at the age of ten and showcases the ingredients of his country from amaranth to yams cultivated on the Andean plateau.