Kombu

1 article

A close-up, glistening ripe tomato symbolizing the savory essence of umami, surrounded by fresh ingredients.

What is Umami? The Fifth Taste Explained

In 1908, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda crystallized a miniscule amount of glutamic acid from dried kombu seaweed, isolating the essence of a taste we now call umami.

Camille Rousseau·August 21, 2026