umami

This time last year, the food world was scratching its head with intrigue when Laura Santtini, a British cook and food writer, came out with a tube of something called Taste No. 5 Umami Paste that promised to be all things to all savory dishes. A flood of questions collectively came to mind: Was it different from MSG? Would it ever reach the US market? And, most importantly: Did it work?

We finally got our hands on a tube, and reached our own verdict. Taste No. 5's day of reckoning, after the break.

Does the notion of using anchovy paste in cooking sound fishy? If so, perhaps it's time to reconsider your stance: Anchovy paste is a versatile, convenient method of enhancing flavor in everything from soup to nuts.

Widely available in specialty stores, anchovy paste is a potent, salty paste made from ground anchovy fillets, water or olive oil, vinegar, and sugar to mellow out the ingredient's fish flavor. (It can also be made from scratch by mashing cured anchovies with a drizzle of olive oil until smooth.) Because the paste can have an overwhelming taste and smell, it's best used in small doses. For this reason, it's often sold in multiuse tubes, which, once opened, keep for up to several months.

A touch of anchovy paste can be used to add a savory, umami quality to dishes — one that's not so much briny as it is piquant. Use it to boost stews, soups, and braises, or to perk up tomato sauce or a meat rub. Personally, I love using the ingredient to up the quotient in a Caesar salad dressing. What do you use it for?