Americano

Gently wipe any surface impurities from the kombu with a damp cloth; do not rinse or scrub away the white crystalline umami deposits.

Place the kombu and water in a medium saucepan and let it soak for 30 minutes to extract initial flavor.

Heat the saucepan over medium-low heat. Just before the water reaches a boil and small bubbles begin to form around the edges, remove the kombu from the water.