Umami Committee Sponsors Expo Ceviche 2013 | Press

The first edition of Expo Ceviche, an event focused on Peruvian cuisine, will take place next Saturday, October 19, in São Paulo, at the Instituto Cervantes.

The Umami Committee, the organization responsible for promoting the Umami taste—one of the five basic tastes of the human palate—in Brazil, is sponsoring the event. The group will participate with a booth full of information and curiosities about Umami, aiming to promote and share knowledge of this taste among chefs, gastronomy professionals, and universities.

Ceviche is an excellent dish to illustrate the fifth taste. “Because fish are rich in Umami substances, they give the dish a very pronounced umami flavor,” explains Cássio Prados, a chef specialized in technical-emotional cuisine, who will close the event’s lecture series.

The goal of the event is to promote Peruvian gastronomy, making ceviche—a symbol of the country’s cuisine—more popular among Brazilians. In Peru, Umami is well known among the population. Furthermore, Peruvian cuisine is currently on the rise. Recently, the restaurant Astrid y Gastón was named the best in Latin America by British Magazine, surpassing D.O.M., owned by Brazilian chef Alex Atala.

Expo Ceviche 2013 will be open to the public from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring exhibitions, videos, musical performances, contests, and award ceremonies.

EXPO CEVICHE
Date: October 19, 2013
Time: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Venue: Instituto Cervantes
Avenida Paulista, 2.439 – São Paulo
Website: www.expoceviche.com.br
Facebook: www.facebook.com/expoceviche2013

UMAMI TASTE
Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. It was only recognized by the scientific community in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami identified specific receptors on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances responsible for Umami. Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and meats in general are foods that contain these substances in high amounts, which is why they have a stronger umami taste. The two main characteristics of Umami are increased salivation and the persistence of the taste for a few minutes after eating.