DO YOU KNOW HOW FLAVOUR WORKS?

TAKE OUR TEST AND SEE IF YOU’VE GOT TASTE

About eight years ago, Arielle Johnson was working at the fermentation laboratory she founded at Noma, the restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark, and had to explain the techniques she was using to the chefs.

“They had a lot of knowledge that intersected with what I had, but what I learned as a scientist did not cross over,” said Johnson, who trained as a flavour scientist at the University of California, Davis. “I found myself explaining a lot of concepts to people over and over. It would lead to info-dumping on a cook for 10 minutes and saying, ‘I wish there was a book I could give you’. So that’s this book.”

flavourama: A Guide To Unlocking

The Art And Science Of Flavor, her first cookbook, published in March, explains the basics of flavour, how it works and how it can be used. There are more than 75 recipes in the book, including one of Johnson’s favourites, smoke oil, which she created using canola or grapeseed oil and Lapsang souchong tea to infuse smoky flavours without setting off the fire alarm in her apartment.

She said there are many common misconceptions about how flavour works. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about the science of flavour.

1. Which of these flavours do we sense primarily by smell, not taste?

A. Salty B. Smoky C. Sour D. Sweet

2. Which of these is not technically a taste?

A. Bitter B. Umami C. Spicy D. Sweet

3. Which ingredient has the most umami flavour?

A. Steak B. Cheese C. Seaweed D. Walnuts

4. We most intensely experience smell as a part of flavour when:

A. We sniff food on the plate

B. We’re putting food in our mouths C. We swallow food

5. Which taste was the most recent to be scientifically identified?

A. Bitter B. Umami C. Sweet

6. Where are taste receptors located?

A. The tip of the tongue

B. The sides of the tongue

C. All over the tongue

7. Which of the following are not commonly used to make commercial sugar?

A. Palm trees B. Sugar cane C. Beets D. Carrots