umami

After some time in the oven, perfuming the entire house, the ham would emerge crispy and crackly on top—a perfect interplay of umami, sweetness, and spice.

There’s a long tradition, especially in Asia, of desserts that borrow from the savory — leaning into umami, coaxing sweetness out of ingredients more often found in soups than sweets.

But if you’ve already graduated to desserts that play with salt and umami, here’s a little technical secret: another way to bring in the savory element is through texture.

The Japanese brand — with its thick, velvety texture and hint of umami — was once something you’d hunt for like a rare treasure.

Radish dusted with furikake get an umami boost.