Salty, sweet, sour and bitter have been recognized as the four pillars of taste for centuries. All other tastes were thought to come from a combination of these flavors. But what’s the word for the savory roof-of-the-mouth sensation of parmesan cheese, beefsteak tomatoes, and seaweed? Borrowed from a combination of the Japanese words umai- (delicious) and mi (taste), umami describes the protein-based flavor of glutamates.

"Convenient" is the moniker of fast food, but it's a deceptive one when you look closer at the wasteful and toxic industry that’s highly problematic. From disingenuous marketing, littering, unfair wages and hidden ingredients, there are more secret layers to the fast food industry than there are layers in a Double Whopper with Cheese. Here are seven secrets you may not know about what's really going on inside your favorite fast food chains.

We know that too much sodium is linked to hypertension and heart disease, but recent studies show that for some individuals with hypertension, a salt-restricted diet alone may not lower blood pressure. So what’s the deal with salt? Does table salt have more sodium than gourmet sea salt? As a recipe developer and resolute sea salt-lover, I had to get to the bottom of it. After some serious research (and turning up many conflicting studies), I made some headway on the question: Are all salts created equal?

"It’s the biggest scam in the gourmet food world.” This is the voice of Rosario Safina, owner of daRosario Organics, the only producer of USDA 100% organic truffle products. Safina recently spoke with us about commercial truffle products sold here in the States—and in the rest of the world, for that matter—where gourmet “truffle” products contain little more than chemical additives, flavorings, aromas and synthetic ingredients. Yet everyone in the business seems to be aware of the scam, except for us, the consumers.

San Franciscans, as a rule, are very happy people. With an unseasonably warm January, it seems that, these days, the city’s lifestyle allows for little complaint. It was during my most recent visit there that a taxi driver concisely summarized the widespread contentment: “It's because we get to go outside, we get to eat good food, and we know that life is good. That's why we're happy.”

I was pretty happy, as well, particularly on one night in the Dogpatch neighborhood. It‘s a quiet section of town; just south of the vibrant SOMA and Mission districts, this area seemed peacefully residential, with two exceptions: Construction of a new pediatric hospital and, recreationally, Yield Wine Bar.

Historians have done their best to piece together a picture of the Mayan civilization that disappeared around 1,000 AD. Where they went—or why—still remains a mystery. But what they left behind (great pyramids, temples and stories), offers glimpses of an advanced culture that had a unique relationship to the world—one unlike the awkward and seemingly ill-suited connection modern culture struggles to maintain with the planet. The most popular story to emerge from the Mayans is the end of their long count calendar, which concludes a 5,125-year cycle on December 21, 2012. Some have predicted it signifies an apocalypse, a pole-shift or another means to the end of modern civilization, while others predict a subtler (and perhaps even more significant) shift affecting human consciousness and how we interact with the world.

Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to some foods and repulsed by others? Supertasters, about 25% of the population, live in an amplified world of flavor that predisposes them to crave salt and reject bitterness. Taste researchers have classified this and two other kinds of tasters to reach a better understanding of the human palate.

Bread may be the staff of life in Germany but it does not thrive alone. Next to the beloved starch, is its partner in crime, fleisch - otherwise known as meat. Upon entering Germany, I was put off by the evening ritual abdenbrot - the idea of sandwiches for dinner did not sit well with me - but I grew accustomed to its charm and and even soon came to crave it. Drawn to its simplicity, a fine loaf (normally rye and loaded with fiber and minerals lathered in wurst or in some cases cheese and quark) appealed to my foreign taste buds and quickly altered my American attitude toward the German tartine. Plus, the meal was balanced - more so than a tasteless cold cuts smothered between two meager slices of Wonder Bread or an oversized greasy hoagie. Washed down with a thin German white wine or a cold beer seemed somehow gourmand. Its simplicity and affordability was reassuring and satisfying.

American consumers have grown more and more conscious of what exactly they are eating, and label reading is now de rigeur for any self-respecting grocery shopper that wants to be informed. Yet food companies are getting savvy to our need for information in this modern era – as well as to our obvious proclivities for certain psychological cues. Who subconsciously thinks that "green" = "fresh"?

In 2012 you may encounter some unusual suspects on your dinner plate. Although the current economic recession has indeed vaulted “comfort foods” such as grilled cheese to a whole new level, more exotic flavors have entered the eating realm as diners search for some way to indulge their adventurous hunger.