A very very brief Introduction to Taste (and making things tasty)

Understanding Flavor:

Flavor = taste + mouthfeel + aroma + “the x factor”

The best dishes will include all the elements of taste, spectacular dishes will also consider mouthfeel, aroma, and the “x-factor.”

The breakdown:

TASTE - perceived by the taste buds

MOUTHFEEL - perceived by the rest of the mouth (temperature, texture)

AROMA - perceived by the nose

THE “X-FACTOR” - perceived by other senses + plus memories, history, emotion, moment

Elements of TASTE:

1.  Salt - flavor enhancer

2.  Sugar - Flavor enhancer, can lend roundness to savory dishes. Fruit, sugar, honey, beets, caramelization are natural sources of sweetness.

3.  Acid - Flavor enhancer, following salt in savory food and sugar in sweet food. Brightens, adds lift, excitement, stimulates the palate (wine, citrus, vinegar).

4.  Umami - for adding roundness, depth, complexity, body, a savory quality, meatiness and overall deliciousness. Think about anchovies, fish sauce, cured meats, preserved foods such as soy sauce, tomato sauce, mushrooms, seaweed, aged cheeses (especially parmigiano reggiano or blue cheese).

5.  Bitter - Balances sweetness, can cut the richness of a dish. Bitterness has a ‘palate cleansing’ effect, which is why it pairs well with fats. Dandelion, radicchio, some spices, tea, hops, coffee, chocolate.

6.  Fat - From seeds, nuts, meats, dairy, etc. Adds roundness.

7.  Aromatics - for adding interest, complexity, brightness (herbs, spices, vegetal or floral notes, nuttiness, smokiness).

Elements of MOUTHFEEL:

1. Texture - creamy (soft cheeses, cream soups, avocado), crunchy (toasted nuts, croutons, raw veggies,), tender (slow cooked meats, perfectly cooked broccoli), soft (ice cream, overcooked broccoli), gummy, slimy (mushrooms), firm (steak)

2. Temperature - hot, room temp, cold, freezing

3. Piquancy - for adding sharpness and/or spiciness to a dish - chiles, garlic, ginger, black peppercorn - can give the (false) impression of heat.

4. Astringency - drying sensation that makes our mouths “pucker” (tannic red wine,  strong tea, unripe persimmons, coffee, beer.

Elements of AROMA:

Scents are volatile compounds - the warmer something gets, the better we can smell it. The smell of a food, whether good or bad has a significant effect on its flavor.

1. Pungency - the unpleasant aroma associated with hot/spicy foods: mustard, wasabi, horseradish (in smaller, pleasant quantities, the term is piquancy)

2. Chemesthesis - A sensation that results from chemical compounds activating particular receptors: Sensations that tickle, like carbonation. Sensations that cool, like mint, menthol. Sensations that heat, chili peppers.

Elements of “THE X FACTOR”:

Everything else! Where are you eating? Who are you sharing your meal with? Are you eating a dish that reminds you of a special person or moment? What does it look like? What color or colors is it?

Terrible food can be spectacular in the right circumstance! And the best meal in the world will be a disappointment in the wrong one.

(Information on taste comes from: The Flavor Bible)

Balancing a dish:

- Is there too much acid? Add a sweet or high fat ingredient. For example, adding sugar to lemonade.

- Too fatty? Add an acidic ingredient. For example, adding vinegar or lemon juice to salad dressing. Adding sauerkraut or mustard to sausage.

- Too much spice? Add a sweet, or high fat ingredient (think dairy or coconut milk). Bulking up the other ingredients can help.

- Too much salt? Add a sweet or acidic ingredient. Or add more bulk.

- Too bitter? Add a sweet or acidic ingredient (sugar in coffee, lemon on bitter greens). Or add more bulk.

- Too sweet? Add acid, salt, or experiment with small amounts of bittering agents

Well balanced (add paleo!) snacks:

• Avocado + lime
• crunchy lettuce/cabbage leaves with salmon/tuna/chicken salad
• salt and honey roasted nuts
• apple slices with salty nut butter
• vegetable slices (peppers, cucumbers, cabbage leaves, whatever!) with chunky pesto (sub walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts for a cheaper + more interesting pine nut alternative)
• deviled eggs
• celery with almond butter and raisins
  
  

PALEO substitutes:

1.  Salt - salt! Most “umami” ingredients below, celery

2.  Sugar - fruits, honey, maple syrup, caramelized onions and fennel, squash, pumpkin, carrots.

add fresh apples or pears to your creamy soups, salads, and sandwiches for sweetness and a touch  of acidity

pomegranate seeds, strawberries, and mango chunks to salads

add balsamic vinegar to salad dressings, soups, glazes

add honey to coffee, dressings, marinades

3.  Acid - lemon, lime, or grapefruit juice, vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, red wine vinegar, and white wine vinegar, to name a few), citrus zest

4.  Umami - Anchovies, fish sauce, coconut aminos, cured meats, tomato sauce + paste, mushrooms, seaweed, bacon, capers

5.  Bitter - Dandelion, radicchio, escarole, coffee, cocoa nibs

6.  Fat - Seeds, nuts, nut butter, meats, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, egg yolks

7.  Aromatics - Herbs, smoked salt

(see, it’s not so bad!)

Consider ingredients that cover a few elements of taste at once:

Capers are salty AND acidic AND umami

bacon, tomato paste, anchovies are all salty AND umami

Apples, pears, pomegranates, oranges, grapefruits are all sweet AND acidic

Now consider their textures:

Capers (soft or crunchy - fried capes, anyone?), bacon (crispy), tomato paste (smooth, creamy), anchovies (soft) are all salty AND umami

Apples (crisp), pears (soft or hard), pomegranate seeds (crunchy), oranges (soft), grapefruits (soft and firm)are all sweet AND acidic

A couple things to have in your paleo pantry:

Ghee

Coconut aminos (soy sauce/tamari substitute)

Extra virgin olive oil

Vinegars

Honey

Coconut milk

spice mixtures

Fermented things (sauerkraut, kimchi)

lemons

And, a couple things make (or buy) to have in the fridge:

pesto

guacamole

salsa

spiced nuts

sweet nuts

homemade mayo

tuna salad

paleo sriracha

pickled red onions (sub honey for sugar)

hard boiled eggs