Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

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UMAMI and TEA. How much UMAMI is acceptable? How much is too much? Please answer as best you can. Remember, we are talking about UMAMI as detected by taste buds/receptors.

I like a good deal of UMAMI in my tea, rarely is it too much
10
43%
I like a balanced level of UMAMI, it can be too much when imbalanced relative to other flavors
10
43%
Very little UMAMI please, not much can be too much
1
4%
None preferred, no tolerance for UMAMI in my tea
0
No votes
Other
2
9%
 
Total votes: 23
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Apr 6th, '11, 02:01
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Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Chip » Apr 6th, '11, 02:01

Good TeaDay everyone, again! We hope you will stop into TeaDay ad share what is in your cup throughout the day!

Yesterday we discussed the actual taste, sweet. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's teaPoll and discussion topic. We will skip salt and sour and go right for UMAMI and TEA. How much UMAMI is acceptable? How much is too much? Please answer as best you can. Remember, we are talking about UMAMI as detected by taste buds/receptors.

And all you want to know about UMAMI ...
http://www.umamiinfo.com/what_exactly_is_umami?/

We are all looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with ... everyone. Bottoms up!
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Apr 6th, '11, 03:01
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Trey Winston » Apr 6th, '11, 03:01

While my understanding of umami is sketchy at best, I stand by my preference for balance.

Planning to enjoy some Silver Needle today.
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Apr 6th, '11, 05:00
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Nenugal » Apr 6th, '11, 05:00

I like umami :)
Today's morning tea is bi luo chun again.
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Apr 6th, '11, 08:09
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by artmom » Apr 6th, '11, 08:09

I checked Other. Umami -- huh???? :oops: :lol:

GD Samantha has arrived safely in Chiba Prefecture in Japan.
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by JBaymore » Apr 6th, '11, 08:44

A great deal.

best,

..........john
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Apr 6th, '11, 09:19
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by LauraW » Apr 6th, '11, 09:19

Trey Winston wrote:While my understanding of umami is sketchy at best, I stand by my preference for balance.

Planning to enjoy some Silver Needle today.
+1. Balance, again, is preferable.

Yunnan again today.
Apr 6th, '11, 10:12
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Chasm » Apr 6th, '11, 10:12

I love umami.

For the longest time I didn't know the word for it, so my tasting notes are full of a word I made up for it.
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Apr 6th, '11, 11:21
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by debunix » Apr 6th, '11, 11:21

I enjoy some umami in my young puerhs that have some smokiness to them, but didn't enjoy it as much in gyokuros and fukamushi senchas, where it overwhelmed the honey-sweet that I preferred. So I guess I like a little of it, in balance to other flavors, but not in every tea.

Starting the teaDay with some white tea today.
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Apr 6th, '11, 15:14
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Elovitz » Apr 6th, '11, 15:14

I love umami! Especially in gyokuro and matcha. I can find it to be intense some days though.

Some toucha Pu-er to keep me going today.
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Apr 6th, '11, 15:39
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by entropyembrace » Apr 6th, '11, 15:39

Umami! I can´t get enough! :mrgreen:

I´ve only really identified it in Japanese greens...but I´ve certainly gotten strong doses of it experimenting with gyokuro brewing and never found it overwhelming :mrgreen:
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Apr 6th, '11, 22:02
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by Chip » Apr 6th, '11, 22:02

Umami is a tough taste to really come to grips with in TEA. I understand it more in food than tea, I think. So many tastes and aromas are interacting. I often wonder if what I am calling umami in tea is even really umami.

Thus I am certainly NOT getting too much umami in tea. Maybe I could use more. :mrgreen:

Began the TD with Yutaka Midori from Umami-Chaya with the Mrs. I sense umami in this tea. Nice. Followed by Aoi asamushi from O-Cha, very nice as well.
Apr 7th, '11, 00:53
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by brlarson » Apr 7th, '11, 00:53

I am in the same camp: I've never had too much umami.

Speaking of which, I finished the day with Yamashita-Jirushi gyokuro from Maiko. This is the least expensive of the Yamashita's five gyokuro and it is wonderful. It has a mouth-filling earthiness with a pleasant bite, but rather than being coarse that earthiness has clean edges formed by a refreshing acidity.
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Apr 7th, '11, 01:22
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Re: Wednesday TeaDay 4/6/11 Umami?

by gargoylekitty » Apr 7th, '11, 01:22

Love it, can't get enough umami.

Having some kimchi jjigae right now, too spicy to drink tea with. But when I'm finished I'm thinking longjing.
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