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fandomhigh2014-01-17 09:31 am
sharp_as_knives) wrote in fandomhigh2014-01-17 09:31 am
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Flavors, Food Choices, and Menu Planning - Friday, 4th period
Hannibal nodded at the students as they took seats; today it was on stools around a counter.
"The first part of the class name is 'flavor'," he pointed out, "so, to start - there are any number of flavors to food, but current classifications recognize only a few basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, savory - which you may also hear called 'umami', and pungent or piquant. Various combinations of these give foods a portion of their flavor. More flavor is related to smell, which we will cover later. Other senses can also affect it.
"In cooking, flavor is organized into seven groups, which overlap a bit with the tastes. Four seasonings and three condiments: saline, acid, hot seasonings, saccharine; pungent, hot condiments, and fatty."
He chuckled. "So, what does this mean for cooking and eating? These flavors combine in different ways. Foods interact with each other. One food with a bitter taste may be a good contrast; too many and nobody will want to finish your meal. A slight metallic taste may be forgivable, but nobody wants to feel as if they're chewing on tinfoil. And if you're looking to substitute for something you don't have, it's good to know the taste you're aiming for."
He set a tray in front of them. "All foods are a combination of tastes, but some are stronger examples of one than others. So, today, we have strong examples of each." He pointed them out. "Sweet: spun sugar. Sour: lemon juice. Bitter: bitter melon. Salty," he paused and gave them a wry smile, "salt. Specifically, sea salt. Savory: cheese. Pungent: raw ginger." Hannibal wasn't rude enough to serve raw chili peppers; you could thank him later.
He put another dish up. "Bread, as a fairly neutral taste to cleanse your palate between trying each. Try them, learn them, and please ask questions."
"The first part of the class name is 'flavor'," he pointed out, "so, to start - there are any number of flavors to food, but current classifications recognize only a few basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, savory - which you may also hear called 'umami', and pungent or piquant. Various combinations of these give foods a portion of their flavor. More flavor is related to smell, which we will cover later. Other senses can also affect it.
"In cooking, flavor is organized into seven groups, which overlap a bit with the tastes. Four seasonings and three condiments: saline, acid, hot seasonings, saccharine; pungent, hot condiments, and fatty."
He chuckled. "So, what does this mean for cooking and eating? These flavors combine in different ways. Foods interact with each other. One food with a bitter taste may be a good contrast; too many and nobody will want to finish your meal. A slight metallic taste may be forgivable, but nobody wants to feel as if they're chewing on tinfoil. And if you're looking to substitute for something you don't have, it's good to know the taste you're aiming for."
He set a tray in front of them. "All foods are a combination of tastes, but some are stronger examples of one than others. So, today, we have strong examples of each." He pointed them out. "Sweet: spun sugar. Sour: lemon juice. Bitter: bitter melon. Salty," he paused and gave them a wry smile, "salt. Specifically, sea salt. Savory: cheese. Pungent: raw ginger." Hannibal wasn't rude enough to serve raw chili peppers; you could thank him later.
He put another dish up. "Bread, as a fairly neutral taste to cleanse your palate between trying each. Try them, learn them, and please ask questions."
Re: Listen to the lecture, ask questions
The cheese also went really well with the sweet. And the bread. And--okay, Zhari just thought it was good cheese.
Re: Listen to the lecture, ask questions