Food in the news ...
A New Taste Sensation
Parmesan cheese has it. So does ketchup. It's umami, and it's changing the way everyone from top chefs to Frito-Lay executives thinks about food.
By KATY MCLAUGHLIN
December 8, 2007
Americans are taught from an early age that there are four basic tastes -- sweet, salty, sour and bitter. But what describes the taste of chicken soup? To an increasing number of chefs and food-industry insiders, the answer is "umami," dubbed "the fifth taste." First identified by a Japanese scientist a century ago, umami has long been an obscure culinary concept. Hard to describe, it is usually defined as a meaty, savory, satisfying taste.
Read the rest here.
Oxford Word Of The Year: Locavore
November 12, 2007
The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.
The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.
The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation.
Read more here.
Parmesan cheese has it. So does ketchup. It's umami, and it's changing the way everyone from top chefs to Frito-Lay executives thinks about food.
By KATY MCLAUGHLIN
December 8, 2007
Americans are taught from an early age that there are four basic tastes -- sweet, salty, sour and bitter. But what describes the taste of chicken soup? To an increasing number of chefs and food-industry insiders, the answer is "umami," dubbed "the fifth taste." First identified by a Japanese scientist a century ago, umami has long been an obscure culinary concept. Hard to describe, it is usually defined as a meaty, savory, satisfying taste.
Read the rest here.
Oxford Word Of The Year: Locavore
November 12, 2007
The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.
The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.
The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation.
Read more here.
Comments
I think you've really touched on something that has changed the way Americans eat and shop for food. I have lived in Italy for 3 years and everything there is bought at Farmers Markets and they would never consider eating pre-processed foods!
Maybe this is the beginning of something delicious for Americans :)