food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
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light in the case of poached or steamed white fish to very powerful in the case of grilled or<br />
blackened venison or elk. This relationship is impacted by the protein type, fattiness level,<br />
<strong>and</strong> cooking method.<br />
Moist heat cooking methods are those where heat is conducted to the <strong>food</strong> item by a<br />
liquid <strong>and</strong> include methods such as steaming, boiling, <strong>and</strong> braising. Cooking methods defined<br />
as dry heat methods are those where heat is conducted to the <strong>food</strong> item by hot air (roasting,<br />
baking), hot metal (grilling, blackening), radiation (broiling), <strong>and</strong> hot fat (stir-frying, sautéing,<br />
pan-frying, deep-frying). These cooking methods impact not only the amount of fat<br />
retained in the finished dish but also the protein <strong>and</strong> collagen structure. When a dry heat<br />
method is utilized, the structure of the dish can be very different than if moist heat is used.<br />
A dry heat cooking method often allows excess fat to run off (grilling is an example), whereas<br />
moist heat often reincorporates the fats that melt off back into the <strong>food</strong> as part of the sauce,<br />
such as in a rich beef stew. Conversely, some dry heat methods such as pan-frying <strong>and</strong> deepfrying<br />
increase the fat content in the finished <strong>food</strong> item. In many cases the browning or<br />
charring that is sometimes a part of dry heat cooking creates a more powerful structure than<br />
a moist cooking method would. This explains how a lighter protein prepared using a more<br />
robust cooking method will have a more powerful texture than the protein type alone would<br />
suggest. For instance, sea bass cooked on a grill has a more powerful texture than chicken<br />
done by a moist heat method (poached, for instance).<br />
In Table 8.1, the protein listed in the first column <strong>and</strong> the moist cooking method in<br />
the second column interact to create the anticipated body level indicated in the third column<br />
(Anticipated Body Levels). The interaction of the dry cooking method in the Dry Cooking<br />
Methods column with the protein type in the fourth column creates the anticipated body<br />
level shown in the far right-h<strong>and</strong> column. These are but a few examples, but as you can<br />
imagine, there are numerous other protein type <strong>and</strong> cooking method interactions, <strong>and</strong> you<br />
may also find yourself eating a dish prepared using a variety of cooking methods.<br />
Meats prepared with robust cooking methods such as roasting or grilling should be<br />
paired with young reds with high tannin to match robustness with robustness. Robust cooking<br />
methods require <strong>wine</strong> with a strong enough personality to balance the powerful textures<br />
added to the dish. Bigger reds or big whites pair well with dishes prepared using robust<br />
cooking methods. White <strong>wine</strong>s that provide an effective contrast with robust cooking methods<br />
range from dry Fino or Manzanilla sherry to German Kabinett. The opposite end of<br />
the cooking method continuum (poaching, steaming, etc.) requires a similarity match, which<br />
can be achieved by <strong>pairing</strong> these finished dishes with neutral, light-bodied <strong>wine</strong>s.<br />
OVERALL FOOD BODY<br />
The overall <strong>food</strong> body is a texture element based on your perception of the overall<br />
power or body of the prepared dish. This evaluation takes the following factors into consideration:<br />
protein type, fat level, cooking method, <strong>and</strong> what the item is served with—<br />
basically the range of texture factors that provide a feeling of weight or structure throughout<br />
your mouth. The most basic assessment of <strong>food</strong> body is based on a continuum from light<br />
to very rich.<br />
The type of <strong>food</strong> item <strong>and</strong> the temperature at which it is served impact the definition<br />
<strong>and</strong> perception of its body. For warm <strong>and</strong> cool items, body characteristics may include the<br />
consistency, viscosity, richness, <strong>and</strong> toughness of the <strong>food</strong>. For frozen items such as ice cream,<br />
body may be associated with the melting characteristics in your mouth. Does it quickly melt<br />
away <strong>and</strong> give the impression of lightness? Or does it resist melting <strong>and</strong> create a rich feeling<br />
in the mouth?<br />
The examples of overall <strong>food</strong> body included in the Food Sensory Anchor Sheet (Figure<br />
B.1) presented in this chapter’s exercises provide ascending levels of body derived from a<br />
combination of protein type, cooking method, <strong>and</strong> fattiness of the prepared dish. These<br />
provide a good example of variation in overall body <strong>and</strong> texture in finished <strong>food</strong> dishes.<br />
Overall Food Body 171