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Seasonal Harmony
Let Flavor Be Your Guide
by Ellasara Kling
photo © R. Kali
Generally, whether we plan a meal or one dish, we think of the flavor of the foods we are going to use to
create a particular taste. We choose seasonings and food combinations that harmonize with each other so that the
end result will be pleasant to eat. We don’t combine foods that are going to “fight” with each other or usually
don't even think of combinations such as a sour dill pickle with poached pears. It’s not a natural combination and
we don’t think of them as belonging together. The astringent quality (contracting) of the pickle doesn’t “work
with” the moisturizing, sweet property (expanding) of the pear. Each food wants to move your energy (Qi) in a
different direction and while there are combinations for sweet and sour that work very well together, the pear and
pickle combination is one we intuitively know does not work.
Often we find that we gravitate to particular flavors on a regular basis. By utilizing information from the
principles of TCM and Five Element Theory, this draw to certain tastes can give us a lot of knowledge about the
level of balance in the functioning of our organ systems and how our bodies are trying to create greater balance
and harmony. Balance and Harmony are always the ultimate goal of everything in the Universe; even when that
may not seem to be so on the surface.
Most people favor one or two tastes and look for them when deciding on what to eat. Please remember
each of these flavors (taste sensations) are just fine, none is better than the other. What is important is balance in
flavors and choosing foods that support your heath at a particular time and in a particular manner. There is much
"health information" that says eating sweets is a negative thing. However, the sweet taste is part of the majority
of available, natural (unprocessed) foods. Often we are so accustomed to sweetening our foods with extra honey,
maple syrup and/or sugar that we may not realize how sweet a simple carrot is on its own. Many foods, such as
tomatoes, for example, are both sweet and tart. Foods such as cucumbers are sweet and "light" in flavor or
neutral, which is another TCM taste category. Unfortunately, the bitter taste is not in high regard these days;
nonetheless, it is an important and necessary ingredient in our healthful eating.
According to TCM principles there are five flavors: Sour, Bitter, Sweet, Pungent (sometimes called Spicy)
and Salty. Referring to the chart below the flavor relationship to each season is readily discernible and its
relationship to the other flavors is equally available. If you cook, you have probably learned “cooking tips” such as:
to reduce the bitter flavor of a food, you can add something a little salty to tone down the bitterness just as the
water element of the Winter Season can help balance (restrain/control) the Fire element of the Early Summer.
January, 2012 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) 41