I stumbled across a fascinating food pairing website the other day that I just have to share. It is a great resource for anyone who likes to cook, from professional chefs to food contest competitors and home cooks, on down to youngsters who are just beginning to explore the pleasures of culinary combinations.
The food pairing website was developed by a group of Belgian scientists who want to inspire new food recipes and groupings, and also to provide suggestions on what might be good substitutes for a particular ingredient when it is not available (or if one has allergies).
To test the food pairing website, I entered “pumpkin” in the search window, and read with some curiosity and amazement the result (noted below), which is based on scientific flavor and taste combinations that might be compatible:
Pumpkin can be combined with –
– Dairy: Butter, Cheddar and Gruyere
– Meat: Chicken cooked, San Daniele ham and Chicken roasted
– Chocolate, coffee, tea: Dominican Republic white chocolate, Tea black and Vanuatu milk chocolate
The search result on the food pairing website also comes with a visual “flavor array” that shows the relationship between the main ingredient and other ingredients that are compatible based on their flavor profile. Some of the compatible food suggestions are quite unusual, and your imagination can certainly be creative.
Check out the food pairing website: http://www.foodpairing.be/
Hmm, how about steam-grilled pumpkin slices over honey-drizzled balsmatic rice garnished with grated Vanuatu milk chocolate? I’ll have to think about that before I add it to my family cookbook.
Happy cookbooking,
Erin
PS: As a thank you for visiting, why not grab a few free recipe card printables? No signup forms, no obligation.
