I recently experienced an Orson Welles "Rosebud" moment when, in the middle of teaching Japanese pastry making, a student asked me what umami meant. I was transported back at least 20 years to my ...

Umami, the little-known "fifth taste," is the key flavor that makes some of your favorite foods taste so good. We’re all familiar with the four basic tastes—sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. But ...