Add some Umami to your holiday cheese boards
Umami, or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes, after sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The word was first coined in Japan in 1908 and describes a “savory” flavor compound. Lucky for us cheese-lovers, many aged cheeses possess that delicious umami flavor.
Certain cheeses like washed rind cheeses, aged cheddars and blue cheeses develop umami flavors. The specific way Le Gruyère AOP is matured in Switzerland allows for the development of special flavors and aromas similar to those of browned butter and toasted nuts. As it ages, this cheese develops deep hints of Umami and a distinct savoriness.
