the flavor bible

i have learned so much from this book already, and i'm only on page 95 (of 380).  karen page and andrew dornenburg spent eight years creating this "essential guide to culinary creativity based on the wisdom of america's most imaginative chefs".

the basic perceptions of taste that i am not only memorizing but putting to practical use in my kitchen?  sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and umami (savoriness). 

take, for example, my lesson from page 55 that we should always seek to balance the above tastes with richness (fat vs. relief of acidity or bitterness), temperatures (the range of hot to cold), and textures (creamy vs. crunchy).  "balance taste by adding it's opposite or its complement".

the formidable portion of the book is like a food dictionary, listing for all categories of food:  season, main taste profile, weight (density), volume (flavor "loudness"), techniques, botanical relatives, and flavor affinities (as well as what to avoid pairing it with). 

i was so excited after reading that saffron has a high flavor affinitiy with corn--now in season!--that i went out and bought .020 ounces for $5.99.  stay tuned for more adventures from this self-taught chef's flavor bible...