On 1/28/2018 8:36 AM, Gary wrote:
> gabrielaalfonza wrote:
>>
>> I would like to know if there is any way to replace the taste of
>> mushrooms. I am allergic to mushrooms
>
> Forget mushrooms and move on...
>
Wild rice
Oyster sauce.
Parmesan cheese.
Miso paste.
etc.
https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-umami-1664724
Umami Taste
Umami describes foods with an inherent savoriness.
It has been described as brothy or meaty. You can taste umami in foods
like Parmesan cheese, seaweed, miso, and mushrooms, which contain a high
level of the amino acid, glutamate.
History of Umami
Umami means "pleasant savory taste" in Japanese. The popularity of umami
has been rising since the 1980s when research about the fifth basic
taste began to increase.
In 1985, the Umami International Symposium held in Hawaii determined
umami was the scientific term for this fifth taste.
Experts from the symposium agreed that umami is on its own and does not
enhance other basic tastes. To determine if umami was its own taste,
researchers had to prove that umami was not produced by any combination
of other basic tastes. Umami was found to be independent of other basic
tastes, it has its own specific receptor for its taste, and lastly, it
is found universally in many foods.
The use of glutamate in cooking has a long history. Fermented fish
sauces, which are rich in glutamate, were used widely in ancient Rome,
fermented barley sauces rich in glutamate were used in medieval
Byzantine and Arab cuisine, and fermented fish sauces and soy sauces
have histories going back to the 3rd century in China.
Umami Foods
The umami taste can be found widely in a great number of foods, so you
do not have to go to a specialty to store to enjoy the taste of umami.
Foods with umami elements that can be found at your local grocery store
include chicken, beef, and pork, as well as tomatoes, cheese, soy,
potatoes, and carrots. Although some foods, like kombu seaweed or yeast,
extracts Vegemite or Marmite, may be a little harder to find if you do
not have a specialty market nearby.