Sunday, August 1, 2010

Water dilutes but as a result enhances taste too

Balance is key in cooking just like anything else in life. What I have always done to my dishes to make sure that the outcome is sensational is balance the spices and other taste enhancers to salt, so that nothing is overpowering. I'm sure you've all experienced this. If you are too picky like me there are times when you might find the dish has not reached the point of just right even after all the adjustments. I wonder if it tastes right, if it feels right or even looks right. In that sense, I guess a serious cook is like an artist. They want to make their art appealing to all the senses. But, geting back to balance in taste...

A fabulous easy taste balancer that I just read about is water. I have used water to make a spicy dish less potent. But the chef who recommends water says that to make a dish more aromatic and flavorful, water is the only essential ingredient because it dilutes other ingredients and can change their balance for the better.

This is more true of drinks. The aroma is enhanced with a good balance of water and I would say it's especially applicable to coffee. I'm not a coffee drinker but know of several coffee addicts. I've got to run this by them and see what they have to say about diluted coffee versus potent coffee as in Starbucks or percolated coffee as made in homes in India.

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