The rise of different food & beverage concepts coupled with aggressive marketing & branding strategies around Cairo, has definitely contributed to the expansion of Egyptiansโ palettes, even if still on a basic level. The science of food pairing and flavor matching wasnโt born yesterday but it has definitely skyrocketed. Trends have evolved to include different flavor pairings every year such as beetroot, black garlic and rum as bases, to name a few.
In order to break flavors down, one must go back to the basics. There are five primary flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty & savory (aka Umami).ย You can match any of those and you are most likely to come up with a new burst of flavors that either makes or breaks your dish. There are also secondary flavors like piquancy, fattiness, and pungency; those pair particularly well with any of the primary flavors. Sweet and sour go hand in hand, while bitter and savory foods are often accompanied by salty and pungent foods such as garlic and onion.
How do you actually experience that? Well itโs quite simple and it starts by practicing at home. Donโt be intimidated by the outcome even if itโs inedible, you need to give it a try anyways. Cheese & grapes, chili & chocolate, fig & Roca, honey & pepper, beef & dates, chicken & pomegranate, burger, jam & brie, tuna & sweet corn, hotdog & relish, these are just a few examples of how you can mix and match ingredients to give you an amazing and unique taste.
Of course some foods donโt pair well together, such as citrus fruits and milk.ย Surely, we all love cheeseburgers and beef satays, but those are usually combined with other ingredientsย to avoid heartburn and indigestion ifย consumed directly.
Being a huge fan of flavor pairing myself, I get so excited when I mix & match ingredients โ whether by following a recipe or just trial and error.
CHERRY JAM BBQ:
Combine one tbsp. with a dash of black pepper, and use it to top off burgers or as grilled chicken dipping.
FIG ROCA & TOMATO SALAD:
The tanginess of the Roca, combined with the juiciness of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the figs is heavenly.
BEETROOT WITH FRESH CREAM & CARAMELIZED HAZELNUTS:
That makes an amazing salad and the crunchy hazelnuts leave you wanting more.
FIG & MELTED BRIE WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE:
Stuffing figs with brie, placing them in the oven for 5 minutes, then drizzling them with balsamic vinegar is a successful marriage of flavors.
TOMATO JAM WITH CHEDDAR ON TOAST:
This is a super smart way to cut down on tomato waste, utilizing the ones about to go bad, plus itโs a great accompaniment to any cheese platter.
Alia Askalany
Chef
