Any time I have ever mentioned bonito flakes, either online or in this thing called "real life", one very well meaning person will say, "I thought those were for cats." While it's true the a cat would find them very pleasing, these feathery, savoury and smoky flakes are best enjoyed by humans, who are more equipped to appreciate the umami-packed delicacy.

Most home cooks are aware that adding a smattering of fresh herbs to their dishes is an easy (and fairly cheap) way to elevate them to new, flavorful heights, but too few of them employ the power of the fried fresh herb.

Marmite is a somewhat polarising spread. (Their slogan is "Love it. Hate it.") Made from brewer's yeast, the salty paste is the British answer to Vegemite. Like Vegemite, it has an umami-packed, almost condensed-soy-sauce-like flavour that can be overwhelming in large amounts. Add just a smidge, though, and you'll boost the savoury-factor of whatever you're eating many times over.

"Umami", also known as "the fifth taste", is a flavour that is kind of hard to describe. It's savoury, but not salty, though it is usually accompanied by salt. It's been described as "meaty", "mushroom-y" and "brothy", but I prefer to describe it as "that flavour that makes you eat an entire bag of Doritos in one sitting".

I first had za'atar, a Mediterranean spice blend featuring thyme, sumac and sesame seeds, in Israel, and it was a revelation. This savoury seasoning powder was good on almost everything -- from seared lamb to yogurt -- and I don't know why it never occurred to me to just make my own.

Cold pizza is a near perfect breakfast food, but you can make it even more "breakfast-y" by giving it the French toast treatment.

I think we can all agree that dips are very important, and a good one is all about finding that perfect balance of flavours that keeps you coming back for more. Luckily, this creamy horseradish-packed dream from Epicurious has it all.

Dessert should be sweet, but adding a bit of savoury in there can keep you from experiencing sugar burnout. Swapping out the cookies in an ice cream sandwich for a good, chewy piece of bread makes it less one note, while still being firmly dessert.

Watermelon sprinkled with a little sea salt is one of my favourite summery flavour combinations -- and I thought I was super fancy when I paired it with feta -- but this watermelon "poké" from Bon Appetit takes the sweet + savoury factor to a whole new place.

Like all roasted vegetables, roasted mushrooms are pretty glorious. If you've ever made them, you've most likely noticed a bit of liquid pooling in the pan. This liquid should be drained to encourage browning, but it should not be tossed, as it makes a delicious, savoury condiment.

I love ginger, and use it in every dish I possibly can, both sweet and savoury. I thought I knew all the ginger tricks -- I even make my own sushi ginger -- but there was one preparation that was missing from my life: roasted ginger.