September 7, 2016

A 6th taste joins the group that became 5 when "umami" got official recognition.

The new one is — I am not kidding — "starchy."

If you'd told me, before today, that a familiar group has acquired a new member called "starchy," I might have guessed The 7 Dwarves. He's a little man who is stiff, unbending, conventional, formal, prim, and stuck-up.

But no. Starchy is not a cartoon character. It's just a taste. Feel free to say, quite seriously, "Mmm. Tastes starchy!"

19 comments:

David said...

"Tastes like shit" apparently is off the table.

Wince said...

Reminds me of Pee Wee Herman's reaction when he sipped a glass of water: "Mmm, watery."

Amexpat said...

Not my favorite taste, but I can see it being listed as a major taste group. I think a starchy taste is prominent in some cuisines like the Polynesians' who eat a lot of Taro.

tim maguire said...

Itchy and Scratchy...and Starchy.

Ann Althouse said...

If you, like me, are more irresponsible with a sleeve of crackers than a sleeve of cookies, you know the charms of starchy.

David said...

Another great excuse for excessive salt.

Rob said...

Reminiscent of the recalibration of the four food groups.

Sam L. said...

I'm sorry, but the starchy taste makes my tongue not work so well.

Rae said...

I thought umami translated as "savory".

rhhardin said...

Hubris, greed, lust, gluttony, sloth and starchy.

rehajm said...

The two tastes 'yummy' and 'yukky' worked great for me until I came to appreciate wine and tolerate sushi. Now taste smell and touch all blend together.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Without clicking the link, your post read like some great bong-fueled rant, Althouse. Well done.

Lucien said...

I never thought of "sleeve"as a collective noun for cookies & crackers. Well done you.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Ann Althouse said...If you, like me, are more irresponsible with a sleeve of crackers than a sleeve of cookies, you know the charms of starchy.

Brian Reagan: Portion Sizes

Dave in Tucson said...

I didn't include the "mmm" part, but I have described jicama as being sort of like kohlrabi, but more starchy.

John Skaife said...

Starchie (though not Starchy) is a cartoon character. Mad Magazine #12
http://undercoverarchie.blogspot.ca/2013/11/starchie-mad-magazine-12-june-1954-mad.html

George Grady said...

I've always wondered why it's called "umami", when it's always explained that it means "savory". Just call it "savory" then! We'd then have salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and savory (and starchy now, I guess). Is there a word for "bitter" that starts with "s"?

jaed said...

"sleeve"as a collective noun for cookies & crackers

It's the plastic tube that a sub-package of cookies or crackers comes in. Consider a box of Ritz crackers, which typically contains three cylindrical plastic sleeves containing crackers.

mockturtle said...

Feel free to say, quite seriously, "Mmm. Tastes starchy!"

Or, "Blecchh! Tastes starchy!"