DisruptED TV Magazine

The “Umami” Lesson Plan: a.k.a. The Perfect Lesson Plan

By: Hal Roberts

My wife and I traveled to the wine country in Napa, California a few summers to go to check off a “bucket list” item of mine. We experienced a wine and food pairing at the Silver Oak Winery where we learned so much, but my takeaway was the five basic tastes we all have. They are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and the one I had never heard of Umami.

Umami is synonymous with the taste of perfection — a glass of wine at its apex of flavor maturity and quality. Linguists have suggested that Umami (pronounced oo-mom’-ee) has English equivalents, such as savory, essence, … deliciousness. .. Umami is associated with an experience of perfect quality in taste. It is also said to involve all the senses, not just that of taste. In the Asian context, there is both a spiritual and mystical quality to Umami. In the West, it has been controversial whether it involves all the senses, not just that of taste.[1] In wine, Umami is said to have depth and complexity. Are you beginning to see where I’m going with this?