Most people can instantly conjure images of sweet, sour, salty, or bitter foods. But what about savory? Defining this fifth basic taste, also known as umami, can be a bit trickier.
Savory, like sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, is one of the five basic tastes. However, it often occurs with one or more of the other tastes, making its contribution to the overall flavor profile harder to isolate. It’s frequently described as a meaty flavor, which makes sense considering it indicates the presence of protein, specifically the amino acid glutamate. Other common descriptors of a savory taste include “full of flavor,” “delicious,” and “tasty,” highlighting the difficulty in precisely quantifying what savory tastes like.
If you’ve ever enjoyed soy sauce, Parmesan cheese, or salami, you’ve experienced savory. Foods that undergo slow cooking (like soup or broth), extended aging (such as aged meats and cheeses or champagne), or fermentation (think soy sauce or miso paste) are powerhouses of savory taste. This is because these processes break down the proteins in the original foods, releasing the amino acid glutamate to interact with our taste buds. The science of savoriness is fascinating and directly related to food preparation methods.
However, salami, soy sauce, and similar foods still contain tastes other than savory. So, how can you isolate savory to experience it purely? The simplest way is to place a small amount of MSG (monosodium glutamate) on your tongue. Seriously, give it a try! This is not a trick but an opportunity for an “aha” moment.
Because MSG is pure glutamate, the compound responsible for the umami taste, you’ll get a concentrated burst of savory flavor. Like bitter, salty, sweet, and sour, it can be a strong experience. Add it to almost any dish, and you’ll understand why it’s a taste that people love but struggle to put into words. The versatility of savory foods and flavors makes them an essential element in culinary traditions around the world.
How do you describe savory? Its elusive quality makes it a subject of ongoing discussion and exploration.
