Serves: 5

The principles of flavor-balancing revolve around the four basic tastes: sweetness, acidity, saltiness, and bitterness. As long as these tastes are relatively balanced, grilled food is almost always delicious with wine. However, there is a lesser-known fifth taste that also affects our perception of wines. Neuroscientists at the University of Miami have identified certain receptors on our tongues that pick up a taste called umami (pronounced "oo-MOM-my"). This taste is found in many high-protein foods such as meat, seafood, and some vegetables. A 20th-century Japanese food scientist described it as "savoriness," which you taste in foods such as dry-aged steak and shiitake mushrooms. It is a satisfying, mouth-filling taste, but for the purposes of enjoying wine, keep in mind that FOODS HIGH IN UMAMI MAKE WINES TASTE STRONGER. In other words, they work just like sweet foods do. Aged cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano and Roquefort and shellfish such as fresh crab, scallops, and oysters are classic examples of umami-rich foods. If you are grilling with significant amounts of these and you want to enjoy wine with your meal, you may want to consider using some acidity or salt to balance them. But you be the judge. Remember, it's your taste.

From Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

More Recipes from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling Cookbook:
01-The Grilling Gospel According To Weber
02-The Birth Of American Grilling: Sparking A Passion
03-Choosing A Grill: Features Are A Grill's Best Friend
04-The Griller's Toolboox: The Right Stuff
05-Grilling And Food Safety: Be Careful Our There
06-Hot Pants Are Out: Lesson Learned
07-Mastering The Fire: Direct Cooking
08-Mastering The Fire: Indirect Cooking
09-Mastering The Fire: Charcoal Grilling
10-The Briquet Shuffle: Tricks Of The Trade
11-Mastering The Fire: Gas Grilling
12-Check Your Char-O-Scope: Free Your Inner Griller
13-Grilling In The Elements: Grillers In The Mist
14-Mastering The Fire: Smoke Cooking On The Grill
15-Tips For Beginners: Getting Started
16-Smoking Woods: Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor
17-A Match Made In Heaven: Beer And A Barbecue
18-Perfect Margaritas
19-Sippin' In The Shade: Summertime Lemonade
20-Which Wine? Drink What You Like
21-The Fifth Taste: Umami
22-Classic Iced Tea: With Lemon, Please
23-Life's A Party: What To Serve
24-What You Need To Know About The Recipes
25-Is It Done Yet? A Word Or Two About Doneness