The May issue of Metropolitan Home contains an article on ‘Umami‘, the fifth taste sense gaining popularity and much overdo recognition.

I’ll admit I knew little of Umami and had heard it referenced once or twice. As I flipped through pages of nicely styled homes, I never expected to learn that Umami is the Japanese word for ’savory’ or ‘meaty’ and is joining the ranks of sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Apparently, Umami was discovered in 1908 and is the sense of taste detecting savoriness, or more specifically the presence of glutamates which are commonly found in cheeses, meats, and protein-heavy foods.

The article continues to describe the rise of Umami and includes six recipes representative of the fifth taste sense:

1. Oyster-Pancetta Pan Roast
2. Truffled Lentil Salad
3. Seared Skirt Steak
4. Two-Potato Gratin with Parmesan
5. Shiitake-Cheddar Strudel
6. Carrot, Walnut and Mascarpone Torte

The magazine includes beautiful photos of each dish. I am particularly drawn to the Shiitake-Cheddar Strudel and Mascarpone Torte. I never expected to find such amazing recipes in this magazine, but now have more reasons to look forward to each issue.