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Debate Simmers Over Science of Food Pairing

Posted by Soulskill on from the gnutella-and-bananas-for-science dept.

carmendrahl writes "Why do foods taste good together? Scientists aren't anywhere near figuring it out, but that hasn't stopped one popular idea from spawning a company dedicated to discovering avant-garde new pairings. The idea, called flavor-pairing theory, says that if foods share a key odor molecule, they'll pair well. But some scientists say the idea can't explain all cuisines, and another contends his work with tomato flavor (abstract) shows that flavor pairing is 'a gimmick by a chef who is practicing biology without a license.'"

3 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. You can't call that biology by DeTech · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can't call that biology. That and the premise itself is flawed. "Why do foods taste good together?". More like, "Why do we think foods taste good together?".

  2. Wrong target by gmuslera · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Its not a food attribute to taste good or bad, is a cultural/personal thing, what you associated to that kind of tastes since early childhood (or even before). Mixing 2 could raise odds of reviving what you felt in the past while tasting one of the components.

  3. Odor is Everything by EmagGeek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Pinch your nose closed and take a bite of your favorite succulent cuisine. You'll quickly realize that taste is not what you think it is, and that what your brain perceives as "taste" depends much more on olfactory stimulation than on your tastebuds.

    I learned that first watching Mr. Wizard's World way back in the 80s. :)