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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Table 10.2 Flavor Intensity Levels in Food <strong>and</strong> Wine<br />
Perceived<br />
Intensity<br />
Range Description of Perception Level Used in Rating Intensity<br />
0<br />
1<br />
2<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
The Interaction of Wine <strong>and</strong> Food Flavor Intensity 215<br />
Undetectable (no flavor): If the particular sensation is not detectable or if this sensation fades almost immediately. No<br />
perception or barely perceptible levels.<br />
Little perception (weak flavor): A taste-smell sensation in which one succeeds in identifying or perceiving it in a<br />
recognizable way, but the stimulus is not well-defined. The level of perception is still low.<br />
Sufficiently perceived (moderately strong): A taste-smell sensation in which one succeeds in identifying <strong>and</strong> perceiving it<br />
at a sufficient level. Perception is at an intermediate level.<br />
Abundantly Perceived (strong): A taste-smell sensation in which one can clearly identify <strong>and</strong> perceive it in a well-defined<br />
way. The taste-smell sensation is at an emphasized level.<br />
Highly perceived (powerful): A taste-smell sensation that can be unmistakably identified. One can identify a particular <strong>food</strong><br />
or clearly characterize a complex preparation. High perceptibility with a lot of emphasis.<br />
research <strong>sensory</strong> evaluation methods in books at your school or public library. Aside from<br />
the external context issues, the internal context of how the <strong>wine</strong> or <strong>food</strong> item is presented<br />
can impact retronasal assessments. Other taste components (sweetness, sourness, saltiness,<br />
<strong>and</strong> bitterness) can have an impact—for example, as noted earlier, sweetness interacts with<br />
strawberry flavors to increase the overall perceived flavor intensity. 10 Texture in <strong>food</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
liquids—tannin, alcohol, oak, fattiness, viscosity, <strong>and</strong> body—has also been shown to impact<br />
overall perceptions of intensity. 11<br />
When the sensation of flavor intensity of <strong>wine</strong> or <strong>food</strong> is described as ‘‘no flavor’’ or<br />
is at an undetectable level (the 0–2 value b<strong>and</strong>), the flavor is imperceptible or fades almost<br />
immediately. In <strong>wine</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>food</strong> with weak flavor (the 2–4 value b<strong>and</strong>), there is a recognizable<br />
flavor sensation, but the stimulus is not very strong. With moderately strong flavor intensity<br />
in <strong>wine</strong> or <strong>food</strong> (the 4–6 value b<strong>and</strong>), the flavor is ‘‘sufficient’’—that is, it can be clearly<br />
defined. The sensation of strong flavor (the 6–8 value b<strong>and</strong>) means that the flavor sensation<br />
can be clearly identified. With powerful flavor intensity (the 8–10 value b<strong>and</strong>), the flavor<br />
can be unmistakably identified <strong>and</strong> is strongly emphasized.<br />
THE INTERACTION OF WINE AND<br />
FOOD FLAVOR INTENSITY<br />
Rule #10: Food <strong>and</strong> <strong>wine</strong> flavor types can be matched using similarity or contrast.<br />
Rule #11: Wine <strong>and</strong> <strong>food</strong> flavor intensity should be equal.<br />
It is important to note that each flavor type has differing acceptable levels <strong>and</strong> combinations<br />
for an ideal match in <strong>wine</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>food</strong>. In general, flavor types can be matched using<br />
similarity or contrast. Contrast can be particularly interesting. For instance, the fruit flavors<br />
in mango relish contrast with <strong>and</strong> complement the smoky, meaty flavors in grilled swordfish.