Concept

Umami is sweet. “Sweet is almost universally regarded as a pleasurable experience” (wikipedia). What sweeter than a caramel, nougat, turron, halva, mchouik...
Umami means delicious, tasteful in Japanese. Kikuna Ikeda San in 1908 gave that name to the taste he loved and which hadn't been scientifically defined till then. It was added to the four other tastes recognised in XIXth century by Herr Fink.
Umami is then the recognition of a different taste. It symbolises here for me the need of diversity, the acknowledged difference as serene base of identity.
Umami also means 'full mouth taste', a taste that is said to be tasted within the whole mouth -contrary to the others which were supposedly tasted only in parts of it.
Umami flavor being strongest when combined with aromas, umami effects may be stimulated by acting simultaneously with aromas, texture, sight, as well as with their sounds and music. Seashells collected on the beach give the inspiration.
Umami is like u-carmen, it is about love and serenity, which as everybody knows, don't go without freedom.

Recipe

What we need:
500 g of honey of acacia or local flowers
5 spoons of vinegar of xeres (or organic local fruit vinegar)
A few spoons of white fresh cheese, or butter, or argan or olive oils
Half a prickly pear in season.
And a tasteful mix of juice or mashed flesh local fruits, herbs or ingredients like :
- horchata (white beverage made out of chufas roots)
- orange flower essence
- thyme, rosemary, lavender
- lemon, oranges, grapefruit flesh and grated skin
- figs
- pieces of almonds, nuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, pipas (grilled and salted sunflower seeds without their shell)...
Empty seashells collected on the beach.

What we do:
Reduce the honey in a softly warming saucepan, deglace it with the xeres or fruit vinegar. Firmly integrate the prickly pear in season. Add fresh cheese, butter, argan or olive oil in function of smoothness substancial quality. Steer slowly and softly integrate the reduced-with-hand thyme or chosen herbs or fruits. Add cut into small pieces
dried fruits.
Acidity of vinegar and fruits, by caramelising will reduce structure while waking up the fruits and herbs perfume.
The mix, reaching boiling point, will pass from a clear orange to a softly dark brown.
Put off fire and poor gently into the cleaned seashells, sculpting into the matter for creative harmonious shape as it cools down.
This will take from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on creativity, choices and maturity.

Curriculum Vitae

Hélène Abrand is not yet a brand. she is happy about that. She is doing her best to keep entire. Difficult though when you know she is French, and likes Kali.
She is currently better known as helenet, which comes from her inter(national)activity and nirvanet past : she's always liked to cross frontiers and discover.
Her company, HAC, is at the crossroad of arts, business and politics, if not about music, personal development and harmony.