How often have you sat down to a meal of warm french onion soup, piping hot ribeye with parsnips & red peppers, only to finish it all off with warm peach cobbler? Tasty as it may have been, your lizard brain may have been missing something. That something is variety---spark.
Our brains love to build bridges between opposites, creating balance where none seems to exist. Do you think fries would taste better if the ketchup were piping hot?... I think not. It's that cold, sweet tomato flavor that combines with the hot, salty potoato to create one of America's favorite combinations.
The next evening you're dining out and the food arrives, palaver over the many tasty nuances of each dish, and ponder what you think would make it a bit better. You may surprise yourself with your innate knowledge. Has the plate you ordered ever come to you looking exactly NOT like you thought it would?
What if that french onion soup was garnished cool creme fraiche? Or maybe lemon salt was sprinkled over the veggies, adding to the earthy parnsip a crunchy texture with acidic zing?
I'm talking about small changes that create memorable dishes. Remarkable dishes. These are small tricks that will turn good to great and great to exceptional.
No matter the ethnicity of dish you prepare, think about your compost--the leftover peelings from making mashed potatoes can be salted and deep fried for garnish. A quick zest of the nearest lime or lemon you're about to throw out will make for a tasty flavored salt.
But enough of that for now. Opposites. Stark contrasts work well to bring vibrancy to the landscape of our planet. Our brains enjoy the disparity between black and white or hot and cold. Simply providing 'lift' to your dish--creating a more 3 dimensional plating arrangement--can add vibrancy to your meal.
I've had quite a few great meals that I've forgotten, but great tend desserts stay with me (in more ways than one!) With the warmer months approaching, try this one to awaken your senses:
Vanilla Ice-cream with warm orange sauce instead of chocolate sauce. Simply peel 3 to 4 a mandarin oranges, add to a small saucepan over low heat with 1/3 cup orange juice and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and mash the mandarins a bit. Serve over the ice-cream.
I've actually taken the peels, julienned them, boiled them in sugar water, then pan-fried them with even more sugar until glazed for an interesting accompaniment.
Happy
Brett is the author of "The RecipeSolace Cookbook" and currently provides advice for families who believe eating as a family is a key ingredient to healthy, joyful homes.
He's willing to travel anywhere in the world to help you create an environment of 'eating to live, not living to eat'.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_Burdette
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