Questions tagged [flavor]

Questions on understanding and manipulating the flavor of foods. Not for "what goes with X?" which is generally off-topic. Please don't use if the only connection is that you want better-tasting food, this is implied in every question on the site.

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A little olive as flavor enhancer

People variously recommend adding small amounts of something to boost and deepen a dish's flavor, without the enhancer being noticed for its own profile. Like frying some tomato paste, a little ...
ariola's user avatar
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3 votes
6 answers
2k views

Amount of fresh rosemary

I am making a hearty vegetable soup in a 5 quart slow cooker. I’m not familiar with using rosemary in dishes and don’t want to ruin the soup. Can someone share with me the amount I should use to help ...
Kathy Wilson's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
140 views

Similarity between cardamom and rosemary

I have noticed a similarity in taste between cardamom and rosemary. I was wondering if anyone could explain to me, perhaps from the point of view of phenols or chemical components or mixtures or ...
Joselin Jocklingson's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
190 views

Canning tomato sauce without citric acid

I've seen similar posts but none that address how pressure canning changes the flavor. I am trying to make tomato sauce without citric acid because my mom is allergic to it and the foods that contain ...
Sihaya's user avatar
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12 votes
2 answers
4k views

How to get tofu to absorb flavour?

Tofu is always being touted as a "flavour sponge" due to its texture. Yet, I have never been able to get it to actually absorb any flavour. People talk about marinating it, searing it, ...
turnip's user avatar
  • 293
0 votes
2 answers
414 views

What can I do about my silicone spatulas' terrible taste?

I use silicone spatulas for a lot of things. They're especially nice for scrambled eggs in a nonstick skillet. However, over the years, they've taken on a really nasty soapy taste. Now my eggs ...
aswine's user avatar
  • 321
6 votes
1 answer
578 views

Mellowing whole peppercorns

I'm developing something with whole green peppercorns in it. I've done a test that began with cooking up veggies in 1 liter of water, no fats, with 2 teaspoons of pepper. The dried corns had been ...
ariola's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
233 views

Do cucumbers inhibit spice and why?

Part of my lunch included cucumbers. I noticed a pepper grinder nearby and thought I would put pepper on my cucumber. When I tried it, it did not feel spicy. Does cucumber inhibit spice? If it does, ...
The Empty String Photographer's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
318 views

Dairy suddenly has an odd taste

Over the past year, more and more brands of dairy product — and some other products containing milk as an ingredient — have suddenly begun tasting odd to me. I can't quite describe the flavor; it's ...
lemonpiewriter's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
313 views

When you caramelise an onion are you really caramelising the sugars?

Similar questions have been asked previously, although none have specifically answered the question of whether true caramelisation really happens when 'caramelising' onions (sucrose & glucose ...
Dr Stu's user avatar
  • 213
2 votes
2 answers
253 views

Recently purchased yeast gave dinner rolls weird smell and taste

I purchased a new package of yeast. It's a about a 2x2x3 inch vacuum packed brick of granulated yeast for baking. I've purchased and used it twice before without a problem. It's always had normal ...
Brian's user avatar
  • 21
1 vote
1 answer
289 views

How can you deal with bitter taste from grapefruit peels without sugar?

I've been working with grapefruit a lot recently, and really enjoy it. I'm trying to make use of the entire fruit, with candied peel and juice, to get every bit of goodness out of this amazing fruit. ...
Sumsuch's user avatar
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1 vote
4 answers
205 views

How can I add a strong tea flavour to a genoise cake?

I'm baking a genoise cake consisting of flour, eggs, sugar, and optionally some melted butter. I want to add a strong tea flavour to it. The only type of tea I currently have and want to use is loose ...
just-a-hriday's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
135 views

Mousse au Chocolat without cacao - resembling the taste of cacao / cocoa

How to make Mousse au Chocolat (normally consisting of eggs, cream, cacao powder, sugar, possibly some butter and vanilla) without any cacao or cocoa powder. It should still taste like cacao and a ...
Sebastian's user avatar
  • 181
1 vote
1 answer
239 views

Type of silk to use for making tea bags

I am investigating the possibility of making my own reusable tea bags. There are several types of textiles to choose from, each with their own pros and cons: Paper tea bags are cheap and common, but ...
Andrew Jackson's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
246 views

How to identify extra virgin olive oil with desired taste profile?

While many extra virgin olive oil bottles state “floral” or “fruity”, these seem like generic terms applied to most oils. Similarly, even those that omit the “peppery finish” description, have a ...
milo's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
239 views

Amounts of MSG and natural glutamates in bouillon and soy sauce

Bouillon has a tasty umami flavor, as does soy sauce. The umami in bouillon can come from added MSG (monosodium glutamate), while the umami in soy sauce is said to arise from naturally occurring ...
milo's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
50 views

Does bean/pea milk made by just blending cooked beans/peas come out just as well as making it by blending soaked beans/peas and boiling them?

So I am vegan and make my own bean and pea milk using mostly Northern White beans and green split peas(finding the yellow ones is a bit hard). I have not made soymilk yet. Anyway, the way I make the ...
Conan Highwoods's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
610 views

My beef stew vegetables taste like red wine vinegar [duplicate]

So apparently red wine and red wine vinegar for cooking are different and I didn’t know this. So for my beef stew I a cup of red wine vinegar instead of red wine (which I know nothing about wines ...
MsDrozette's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
430 views

Due to allergies, I'm limited to avocado mayo, it taste like drywall, what can I do to make it palatable?

My favorite is Hellman's mayo, but I can't have it as I get severe inflammation from the canola oil that is part of its ingredients. This avocado mayo was the alternative I found locally but doesn't ...
Eric Huelin's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
192 views

How to make coconut oil taste better?

I am starting oil pulling but I can not tolerate the taste in the morning. I’m already not a huge coconut taste person. What can I add to it to make it taste better?
Kayla's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
238 views

Is there a dry peppermint flavoring?

I want to make a peppermint cocoa mix but I can only find peppermint extract in liquid form at my grocery store. Is there such a thing as a dry peppermint flavoring thats natural?
binarylegit's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
520 views

Added too much sugar to tomatoes. How can I fix it

Making my moms homemade spaghetti sauce and her direction said add 1/2 c sugar for 2 qts Tomatoes. It tastes too sweet for me. Can I fix it easily?
Pat Long's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

How do you know if sunflower lecithin is still safe to consume?

So I looked at the tub of sunflower lecithin that I bought around July 2021 and it is clear that the color has turned from a much whiter color with hints of yellow to an salted egg yolk-like color ...
Pherdindy's user avatar
  • 263
3 votes
1 answer
303 views

Water soluble vs fat soluble flavours - how does solubility affect taste perception [duplicate]

I understand that flavours are basically molecules that stimulate taste receptors and that some flavours are water soluble while others are fat soluble. Does solubility enhance or diminish perception ...
Zaph Brox's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
213 views

What should fresh fenugreek leaves taste like?

Being a lover of dried fenugreek (methi) in Indian curries, I decided to grow fenugreek leaves. They have the maple-like aroma I expect from the dried leaves and seeds, but the taste was very vegetal ...
Steve V's user avatar
  • 533
0 votes
0 answers
254 views

How do I remove the soapy taste in homemade chili using home canned tomatoe juice?

Used home canned juice and store bought tomatoes to make chili. Added 2 tbls of sugar to the chili to cut down the metal taste. Now my chili has a soapy after taste. Can thus be saved or should I dump ...
Linda Ladwig's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
177 views

How much is the flavour of a BIR curry affected by the aluminium pans used in takeaway restaurant cooking?

BIR (British Indian Restaurant) cooking is a specific method used by takeaway restaurants to quickly cook curries using precooked ingredients. Typically, spices are fried in oil, ginger and garlic ...
Greybeard's user avatar
  • 5,627
0 votes
1 answer
107 views

How to make elderberry extract

i have some fresh elderberries and i was thinking of making an extract with them, how would I do this, i know you have to leave it sitting in vodka but at what ratio? for how long? Should I crush the ...
ShadySpiritomb's user avatar
19 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why do I need sugar syrup for slush?

The title says it all. I am looking around for homemade slush recipes and all of them call for the juices of the fruit plus some mixture of water and sugar. To my understanding, both water and sugar ...
Vladimir Cravero's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
2k views

Is it advisable to cook cilantro or mint leaves and store them, instead of blanching them?

The problem: The grocer only agrees to give a large bunch of cilantro (coriander) or mint leaves, and I need it to last a month or more, because I don't use the herbs as frequently. What I've tried ...
Nav's user avatar
  • 1,271
2 votes
3 answers
829 views

Why do some egg products smell like spit and how can I prevent this from happening?

There's a certain gross smell I notice with certain egg products that smells kinda like spit and kinda like a wet dog, very different from the smell of rotten or overcooked eggs. People I've asked ...
Katerino's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
1k views

How to retain the saltiness and spicy flavour of biryani rice?

When preparing chicken dum biryani, the chicken and rice are first partially cooked separately. The steps for cooking the rice go like this: Wash the rice. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. For ...
Nav's user avatar
  • 1,271
0 votes
2 answers
159 views

Is hydrolyzed vegetable protein available in consumer quantities?

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HPV)is vegetable protein, principally soya, hydrolyzed such that it is split into its constituent amino acids. It is a very strong stimulator of the umami taste ...
User65535's user avatar
  • 849
3 votes
1 answer
467 views

Using pistachio paste instead of an extract - what proportion of paste should I use?

While I have a specific baking goal in mind, if there are answers that apply generally to all cooking/baking that'd be great. I have a biscotti recipe that I often adapt with different mix-ins and ...
mkdir's user avatar
  • 367
5 votes
4 answers
634 views

Alkaline foods with a pH higher than 8

I wonder if there is any common food with a pH higher than 8? Or is it simply that we humans don't eat anything alkaline because the taste would be soapy/bitter? I searched around the Internet only to ...
anemia0's user avatar
  • 53
1 vote
1 answer
177 views

Why can I cook well but not identify flavours? [duplicate]

I'd like to say I'm good at cooking. I understand each element of the cooking process well, I can imagine flavours and how ingredients will alter the flavour of a dish. I believe I can put together ...
e god's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
199 views

How quickly does pesto lost flavor when kept cold but exposed to air?

I work at a supermarket chain deli, which has some unique food preservation needs not answered by the information I have been able to find, which mostly assumes people are storing food in their home ...
Ian Dalton's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
888 views

How to make almond milk taste more like dairy

I see natural flavor, sodium caseinate, and milk protein isolate on a few non-dairy creamers. What give non-dairy creamers milk like flavor? Can this be added successfully to almond milk (homemade)?
paulj's user avatar
  • 310
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

How much potato to add to reduce saltiness

I've heard that adding potato to an overly salty dish can reduce the saltiness. I prepared 500g of rabbit meat in a pressure cooker. Realized that I had added one teaspoon worth of salt more than what ...
Nav's user avatar
  • 1,271
8 votes
5 answers
3k views

What meat can I substitute for lamb in Scotch Broth?

A traditional Scotch Broth calls for lamb. However, my partner does not like the strong smell, and lamb is not so easy to get a hold of anyway. What meat can I substitute for lamb in Scotch Broth ...
Mawg says reinstate Monica's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Will substituting evaporated milk for whole milk change the flavor or texture of custard

When making custard if I substitute evaporated milk for whole milk will it change the flavor or texture of the custard?
Mary Ellen's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
263 views

making a detox smoothie more palatable

I currently make a detox smoothie with the following ingredients: 1 orange, 1 banana, 2 cups frozen wild blueberries, 1 c cilantro, 1 tsp barley juice grass powder, 1 tsp spirulina, tbsp or Atlantic ...
jean's user avatar
  • 31
7 votes
1 answer
534 views

Are there other foods that are known to be not your taste based on genetics?

It is pretty widely known that cilantro tastes bad for some people only because of a gene that makes that herb taste like soap. But are there other foods/herbs that are known to be your taste or not ...
Fredy31's user avatar
  • 357
1 vote
0 answers
712 views

How to make your own maple extract?

Does anyone have any experience with making your own maple extract? I am on a low carb diet, so real maple syrup is not an option for me. Again, the solution is of course maple extract, but I am not ...
Laura's user avatar
  • 11
15 votes
6 answers
4k views

I’m doubling lemon juice in a no-bake pie recipe to make it extra sour. What can I add to make it less goopy?

Every year my partner makes a lemon pie, and every year her guests want it to be more sour than the last. Last year we put in way more lemon juice than the recipe called for, but it came out a goopy ...
Jake Nixon's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
419 views

Why does my cheese flavouring have a sweetish smell/flavour?

I recently purchased a bottle of Cheddar Cheese flavouring (product link here) hoping to use it in pasta. The product description says it is apt for pasta. However, it has a strong sweetish smell ...
Wodin Tiw's user avatar
  • 171
2 votes
3 answers
200 views

Infuse flavor into dry-mushroom broth

Specifically porcini powder, may occasionally add other dried mushrooms. Epicurious simmers dry porcini uncovered one hour; NYT just 30min. Both include veg which I won't. This broth should be as ...
Pat Sommer's user avatar
  • 5,434
3 votes
0 answers
149 views

Which parts of a quince have that awful onion-like flavour and aftertaste?

Every single quince I ever try to eat, without a fault, has parts on it that have an awful onion-like flavour and leave a disagreeable oniony aftertaste. Most of the fruit is completely free of that ...
Dragomok's user avatar
  • 169
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

How do taco trucks get their soft taco shells to have a slightly oily texture and more complex taste?

When I get tacos from a taco truck or the more authentic Mexican restaurants here, the soft corn taco shells often have a somewhat oily texture and are a darker color than the shells are prior to ...
Ben Rubin's user avatar
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