Chapter 1
The secret power of the platter
Chapter 2
The flavor cheat codes
Chapter 3
The art of assembly
Chapter 4
Let heat do the work
Ch 2 · The flavor cheat codes
alicecooks Fat as a Flavor Carrier
Binds the aroma, coats the tongue, makes the flavor last!
alicecooks A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice magnifies flat-tasting soups and sauces that are already salty enough.
Quiz
Which acid, naturally found in grapes, gives wine and wine-based vinegars their characteristic tart bite?
alicecooks Adding white miso or Parmigiano-Reggiano instantly elevates simple broths and pasta dishes.
Quiz
What chemical compound naturally found in aged cheese and soy sauce is responsible for the savory umami flavor?
Quiz
Which Japanese chemist first identified and named the basic taste umami in 1908?
Fun Fact
Salt and sweetness: Adding a pinch of salt to fresh grapefruit actually makes it taste sweeter by suppressing our tongue's bitter taste receptors.
Quiz
Palate fatigue occurs when taste buds get used to a single flavor; how does flaky salt help prevent this?
Quiz
Why do chefs use flaky sea salt at the very end of cooking instead of during prep?
Glossary
umami (noun)
A category of food taste corresponding to the flavor of glutamates, characterized as savory or meaty. Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda identified this savory profile in 1908 while researching the properties of kelp dashi.
A category of food taste corresponding to the flavor of glutamates, characterized as savory or meaty. Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda identified this savory profile in 1908 while researching the properties of kelp dashi.
Quiz
What term describes the process of gently heating spices in oil or ghee to release their fat-soluble aromas?
Quiz
What scientific property of many aromatic herb compounds requires them to be cooked in oil to release flavor?