Umami is reputed to be the fifth taste sense that humans have, after bitter, salty, sweet and sour. While many foodies are convinced it exists, scientific opinion is still far from convinced. In Japanese, “Umami” strictly speaking means “good flavour”, but it’s meant to capture more, describing a meaty, savoury taste. It is used particularly…
Technical Terms
Unsaturated Fat
Unsaturated fat is fat which contains few hydrogen items compared to other types of fat, which means in practice that it will be liquid at room temperature. There are actually two types of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fat has one atomic double-bond in it; Polyunsaturated has multiple double-bonds. Of the two, monounsaturated is…
Use-By Dates
Use-By Dates apply to items which, if consumed past the given date, can pose a threat to health. Most food with a Use-By Date needs to be store refrigerated at all times.
Yatai
Yatai are roofed street stalls in Japan that sell food. They have chairs in front of them; you sit, place your order, and your food is ready to eat within a few minutes. They sell ramen noodles, yakitori, oden (hot pot), etc. Beer and sake are also sold. Generally, they are open for business from…
Yearling
A yearling is a one-year old animal. In farming, the term is applied to heifers, bulls and sheep. The animal is considered a yearling from the time it turns one year old, until its second birthday. The term can also be applied to young deer, and horses. Literature & Lore “A yearling bullock to thy…