#flavor-enhancement

#flavor-enhancement

I use a lot of vermouth actually. Obviously it's a fortified wine and so therefore it has a lot of flavor. When I'm doing pastas, for example, I'm using white vermouth sometimes. If I'm doing a seafood pasta with clams, it's amazing. People are like, 'What's that flavor in there?'

A small splash can brighten the sweetness of corn and add a subtle herbal lift. It should enhance - not dominate. Think of it as a squeeze of lime, ever so popular in Mexican food, in spirit form.

Of the five mother sauces, velouté is extremely under-appreciated and not talked about enough. It's what we as Americans call gravy, which we know has so many various uses. Velouté, which means velvety in French, is made with a light roux (or a mixture of flour and fat, like butter), stock or broth, and some seasoning like salt and pepper, and a bay leaf.

Finely ground coffee can add depth and a subtle roasted bitterness that enhances caramelization. Freshly ground beans taste best in this situation since they have all of their aroma and flavor still intact. Once you expose those grounds to air or once all the good stuff is extracted during brewing, those spent grounds are a lot duller and lack the same depth.

Stuffed peppers are the homey, cozy, and nutrient-dense dish that you didn't know you needed. They're incredibly easy to prepare, as all you need to do is boil the peppers just enough so that they soften before loading them up with your favorite fillings. There are also many ways to upgrade stuffed peppers, seeing as the shells can be filled with meat or plant-based fillings, adorned with your favorite gooey cheese, and seasoned to your liking.

When Japanese sesame oil brand Kadoya Seiyu demonstrated that combining sesame oil and coffee is an option, foodies took notice. The unexpected addition can lend a creamy, smooth texture to a regularly prepared cup of Joe, and the smell of this combination will greet you before the first sip reaches your lips. As added incentive to experiment with this unique duo, sesame oil boasts a line-up of promising health benefits.

Deviled eggs are far too versatile to be limited to the same few seasonings every single time we make them. Mustard, mayonnaise, and maybe a pinch of paprika always go into the filling, no questions asked, no second-guessing. All the while, we have been unknowingly missing out on a long list of ingredients that will seriously upgrade your deviled eggs. For example, just a few sprinkles of the Mexican seasoning Tajín, and you'll forget those deviled eggs were ever so plain and ordinary.

Pancakes are a global favorite with unique recipes on every continent. Stateside, they're the fluffy stack of griddle cakes that we douse in maple syrup and butter. While pancakes' airy and light crumb is a huge part of their appeal, their flavor doesn't stand out as much. We interviewed Jeffrey Williams, Executive Chef at Willowsong, who admits, "The basic recipe is flour, sugar, a leavening agent, some oil, and a pinch of salt-so it's not heavy on flavor to begin with."

Dumplings are one of those perfect foods to buy in the frozen section of the grocery store. Yes, you can make them yourself, but it is a lot of work prepping the filling and carefully folding each individual little parcel. The bag of dumplings in the freezer section gives you a lot less control, but you can get them from the fridge to the table in just a few minutes.