It’s a descriptive term that seems to be nebulously defined. ‘Pungently flavorful without sweetness’ is the most common version I can find, but just about everyone using the word in shows like Chopped or Iron Chef use it like a classification, like we would use ‘salty’, ‘acidic’ or ‘spicy’. Judges also typically say foods they approve of are, ‘sweet *and *savory’ which is nonsense to me since savory is defined as a flavor that is not sweet.
So what is it exactly, and what is a common food that best brings this flavor out?
Sometimes people (food people) use savory to indicate umami, which is a loan word from Japanese, and is now considered the fifth taste (the ones I grew up with are salty, sweet, sour, and bitter). It is hard to describe (then again, it’s also hard to describe “sweet” I suppose), but I associate it with the substantial taste of fish, meats, and cultured dairy. And vegetables that you wouldn’t normally describe with one of the traditional four – broccoli is bitter, carrots are sweet, and asparagus is savory. Oh, and mushrooms.
The human sense of taste reacts to 5 different chemicals resulting in 5 basic tastes
Sweet - caused by the presence of sugars
Sour - caused by the presence of H+ ions(hydrogen) in solution (acidity)
Saltiness - caused by the presence of Na+ ions (sodium) in solution
Bitterness - caused by the presence of alkaloids (like quinine)
Unami - caused by the presence of glutamates and nucleotides - referred to by many “foodies” as ‘savory’
For me the main tastes are sweet and salty, so all foods not sweet are in some way salty (to me). So savory would mean salty to me. Incidently these are the only tastes I really get cravings for. Sour foods are usually also sweet.
I guess there is stuff that is bitter, but if that’s the only taste, it just means it is gross to me.
The reason I like savory things is because there is a taste that sort of mimics salt.
For example, a bagel with cream cheese, tomato and onion tastes salty to me, but just cream cheese and onion or cream cheese and tomato alone do not have the salty taste.
We had a thread on this not too long ago. I, too, have suddenly noticed this word creeping into American English. I always thought it just meant “tasty”, but I guess the Brits use it to mean something like “meaty”. You’ve got your sweet pies (apple, etc.) and your savory pies (meat pies). But I guess “meaty” is just one type of savory.
I’m another one who considers “savory” to be the proper English translation of the Japanese “umami”. It means “meaty”, or “brothy”, or something along those lines.
This is how I generally use it, too. It usually means “not sweet” to me, and crepes are exactly what I think of when I think of the sweet vs savory distinction.
It can also be, as others have stated, a synonym for “umami.” Usually for me (unless I’m discussing the herb) it means not-sweet.
Me, too. I ran into someone else hosting a pot luck party and asking for sweet or savory snacks. That’s when I learned they were using that word for the meaty, non-sweet items.
Foods that have both sweet and non-sweet flavors (especially, but not exclusively, umami) can be described as “sweet and savory.” For example, a crepe or pie filling that combined meat and fruit would be sweet and savory. Melon wrapped in prosciutto is a classic sweet-and-savory dish. Sausage and maple syrup is another combination of sweet and savory you might be familiar with. A good cheesecake could arguably be regarded as sweet and savory even though it has little umami flavor, because the sweetness is secondary to (and complements) the richness and the taste of dairy.
Wait… what? This is really a British thing? No snark, honestly… I’m just genuinely surprise that this is one of those differences between us. Huh, who’dathunk it.
Savoury ( ) is the other main food classification, along with sweet, for me. Yes meaty but also some things quite bland can be savoury too: crackers for cheese, certain flavours of crisps, if they’re not particularly salty, pastry in some cases. I usually prefer savoury foods.
) is the other main food classification, along with sweet, for me. Yes meaty but also some things quite bland can be savoury too: crackers for cheese, certain flavours of crisps, if they’re not particularly salty, pastry in some cases. I usually prefer savoury foods.