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So I have decided to start doing threads for people that love cooking and want to understand why they have to do certain things when cooking. Also why people love certain styles of cooking. It’s all about understanding your palette and advancing you understanding of food.
So my first lesson is:
“Flavors of the tongue”
So your tongue has designated areas for taste. These areas have receptors built to taste certain flavours in certain areas. And the point of cooking is to find a balance between these basic flavors
“Flavors of the tongue”
So your tongue has designated areas for taste. These areas have receptors built to taste certain flavours in certain areas. And the point of cooking is to find a balance between these basic flavors
So there are 5 (arguably more) basic flavors our mouths perceive
1) sweet
2) salty
3) sourness
4) bitterness
5) umami (savory)
1) sweet
2) salty
3) sourness
4) bitterness
5) umami (savory)
1) Sweet 
W/o going into deep chemical understand of what sweetness is, it’s produced in certain chemical bonds like protein, lactose etc. meaning sweetness is found not only in simple sugars like sucrose. In fact it’s found in multiple foods like lamb, tomatoes and onions.
W/o going into deep chemical understand of what sweetness is, it’s produced in certain chemical bonds like protein, lactose etc. meaning sweetness is found not only in simple sugars like sucrose. In fact it’s found in multiple foods like lamb, tomatoes and onions.
Cooks talk about “caramelizing” a lot which is burning the sugar which produces a bitter flavor. Most of the time allowing food to cook slowly, the sugars naturally come out. That’s why we slowly cook our onions in the beginning of cooking stews, so we can get the sweetness.
2) Salty 
Salt is the presence of Sodiun ions (Na+). This flavour, like sugar comes in many different forms. Salt is almost like a foundation in cooking. It helps bring out other flavours. Almost like a conductor of a choir. The choir is the star of the show...
Salt is the presence of Sodiun ions (Na+). This flavour, like sugar comes in many different forms. Salt is almost like a foundation in cooking. It helps bring out other flavours. Almost like a conductor of a choir. The choir is the star of the show...
... and without the conductor there will be no synergy. But if the conductor outshines the choir, the choir performs horribly. So it’s normally the salt content that makes or breaks the flavour of the food, Like our fav post-groove wings 
3) Sourness 
These receptors sit near the back of the tongue. This is produced by Hydronium ion (H3O+) which makes acids. Acids are normally used to cook food. Raw pescatarians normall use acids to “cook” their food without heat. This is why people put lemon/lime juice...
These receptors sit near the back of the tongue. This is produced by Hydronium ion (H3O+) which makes acids. Acids are normally used to cook food. Raw pescatarians normall use acids to “cook” their food without heat. This is why people put lemon/lime juice...
... on raw fish, to cook it. Acids are also used to clean your palette since it activates your saliva glands to clean your mouth like citrus fruits or raw tomatoes. It also calms down heat.
4) Bitterness 
This is the opposite of sourness (chemically) as its produced by Bases. Many people don’t like this flavour and interestingly so, because poisons are mostly made by alkaline substances (bases) so people use to identify poisoned food by the bitterness.
This is the opposite of sourness (chemically) as its produced by Bases. Many people don’t like this flavour and interestingly so, because poisons are mostly made by alkaline substances (bases) so people use to identify poisoned food by the bitterness.
This flavour is the most ignored but essential. Like I said before sometimes its mechanically produced by the burning of sugars when grilling. It’s some of the reason why we like toast, or dark chocolate.
5) Umami 
This refers to the savory flavours you get in stews, curries etc. this is a Japan term. It’s most seen in East Asian and African cooking as it is mostly created through fermentation. Eg Soya Sauce, wine, Parmesan cheese, fish sauce.
This refers to the savory flavours you get in stews, curries etc. this is a Japan term. It’s most seen in East Asian and African cooking as it is mostly created through fermentation. Eg Soya Sauce, wine, Parmesan cheese, fish sauce.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a chemical found in many ingredients that produce umami flavours like tomatoes and mushrooms. Because it’s a flavor enhancer, a lot of food scientists add it to other foods like chips to enhance the flavours which can become cancerous.
Arguably there are more flavor receptors on the tongue like fattyness, coolness, heat, astringency (rubbersness). But that’s a topic for another day.
Enclosing, knowing the flavor profiles is trying to find the balance between these flavours and know how to correct flavours when cooking. Bitterness and Sourness is mostly corrected with sweetness. Flat flavours we normally add salt.
Hope you enjoyed this thread. I know the information can be overbearing but trust me this is the foundation of cooking. Once you understand this you’ll get rid of a lot of extra flavour enhancers in your pantry.
Thank you
Thank you
