Kitchen Commandments & the Flavor Axiom

This post is an ongoing list of my person rules and suggestions for cooking, and sometimes life in general.  

The Flavor Axiom is mine; you have my permission to reference it (not sell it or rework it as your own) and any other of my personal assertions I post on this blog -with proper citation.  If I find the time I will write a book. Many of these concepts, not just the statements, are my own, and I encourage you to share them, just respect my ownership of them.

Its ok, you can just read the big ones, unless you want a detailed explanation.

• Never waste an opportunity to maximize flavor. (The Flavor Axiom)
• This rule is likely to encompass most others I have regarding cooking itself.
• Note that it does not say add  more flavor, but maximize it, and it doesn't say never miss or pass on an opportunity- don't waste it.
• This means flavor as a whole.  True maximization of flavor requires a proper balance as well as drawing as much flavor from each ingredient as is practical.  This leads to what  I will call my equilibrium postulate.
• Optimum Flavor is obtained by creating an equilibrium between flavor elements.(The Equilibrium Postulate)
• Flavor is a verb. It is not just a thing that sits there on a plate, or goes down your throat, it is something that happens, it is an occurrence, a reaction in your mouth.
• Good flavor comes from a balance, Optimum flavor is the result of an ongoing interaction between elements within that balance-i.e. an equilibrium.  A single taste can be completely balanced, thus good (people like the taste of salt or sugar), but it is when other element begin to delicately enter that balance and the tastes interact that true flavor begins to happen.  There may also be a non-reactive factor in an equilibrium, either acting as a catalyst or simply floating about neutrally randomly popping up.
• The major elements of flavor are mouthfeel, temperature, and the tastes: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, umami, soothe, astringent, and aromatic (note that I have added some new and unusual "tastes"to the list) 
• These elements may be divided into three 'levels':
•  The Foundational (or physical) which includes mouthfeel and temperature.  These are the sensations of taste which can be perceived via simple touch.  They have the ability to obtusely affect the overall flavor (e.g. cold has a muting effect, warm accentuates most every flavor, and heat can over power some flavor and strengthen others (acid/sour for instance.))  Mouthfeel has an effect through creating pleasure or displeasure.  This in itself can affect one's perception of tastes, but it also influences behavior- resulting in a longer or shorter time in the mouth, or where it is held in the mouth, both of which physically alter the ability to taste the food. (Temperature has these effects as well.)
• The Structural. These are the "primary colors" of taste.  Sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami.  Umami is almost an odd one out, but unquestionably belongs in this level. I think perhaps fattiness should be one too, but I won't diverge to explore that with you right now. These tend to influence through sheer mass. Powerful basic tastes, some blending and complimenting, some countering each other.  They may neutralize each other- as an acid neutralizes a base (precisely that as a matter of fact) or they may stabilize at an equilibrium at another pH, as in a buffer solution.  
• The Harmonics or aesthetics.  These are the subtleties, the essences that dance on the edge of tongue gently tease the nose.  They influence both through a delicate presence or  through great intensity.  They are spice, soothe, aromatic, and astringent.  This is where flavors develop true complexities and aesthetics.  Do not mistake subtlety and delicacy for impotency, far from it.  These tastes can dominate with great ease. Their intensity is what allows them to have such a delicate effect, while other tastes may be lost in small amount.
• Spice is familiar to most everyone. It is the presence of chemical "heat."  I don't think I need to explain further here.
• Soothe.  I coined this use of the word for lack of a better one. Perhaps I will come up with something better. This is counter part to spice.  It is the chemically induced sensation of cooling.  Think menthol, it also is in dill, a more subtle variety is in cucumbers and similar melons.
• Aromatics.  The floral essences.  I include fruitiness as part of this as well.  The floral notes that ride on top if the butteriness of escolar, wild rose petals, lychee, the fleeting dancing flavors in a good wine, the unique flavor shared by carrots and parsnips, that you smell from Queen Anne's Lace. Saffron. Cardamom. The lighter notes of garlic onion and celery. these are the factors that truly define a fruit as unique from another - what makes a peach a peach.  The factor that makes a hot pepper delicious instead of just spicy.
• Astringent.  This one is recognized in some cultures.  It is the feeling or dryness or numbness on the tongue. it accompanies bitterness frequently. Tannins in wine, lychees again, the camphorous bite at the end of a taste of good scotch.  I associate it with the sort of numbness from some spices as well, like nutmeg and cloves, where it sort of mingles and dances on the line between spice and soothe.
• A well balanced flavor profile that has a good equilibrium is like a flower.  Imagine Crocus sativus, the beautiful source of saffron.  
• The roots, leaves, stem and sepals all are underlying structure for the flower, specifically the sepals which are the actual base of the bloom, and are akin to the Foundational level of flavor.  They literally are the physical basis on which the whole constriction builds.  
• Next the petals.  They are the bulk of the flower, the most visible colorful aspect.
  
   These are akin to the Structural level of flavor. They are the solid structure of the flavor, the most strongly perceived aspects.  It is here that the greatest part of the symmetry and balance can be seen.
• Finally the stamen and carpels.  The source of the flower's pollen, scent and nectar.  These are akin to the harmonics.  Here the symmetry may be altered but balance maintained.
• Just as the symmetry, colors, proportionality, scent and size of flowers vary, so does flavor.  Each has its own beauty balance and symmetry. Some may have one fat petal or one long narrow petal, some may be a perfect spiral, some may have perfect radial symmetry.  None are random clumps of plant flesh and a mess of random sizes and colors.  if that's the flavor you want go get a suicide slushie or something.

• Use you head; use your hands
• work smarter instead of just harder
• if your hands can do it, avoid tools and gadgets if practical, you have better control with your hands
• note that these two are in a rule together- they must be applied together
• Keep it sanitary and safe.
• Not sterile.  Bleach and soap are poison.
• Gotta keep 'em separated.  
• Like food with like food only.  Poultry only touches poultry, beef beef, veg veg, etc., until it hits the mixing bowl or pot.  
• Old food shouldn't mix with new food.
• When two items come together, both become the dirtiest, oldest, least safe of the two.  Mix onions in ground beef it must now all be treated as beef.  Put leeks in the raw chicken it must all now be treated as raw chicken.  Put old soup in the new soup- its all old now.
• There are two sides to every story, and every plate.  Remember that every surface may be dirty and may come in contact with food or other surfaces.
• If you cook it, you eat it.
• Never serve food that you haven't tasted.  No excuses. Always find a way to taste it first.
• You screw it up, you eat it.  Never waste food.  Overcook the steak? Guess who is having well done steak for lunch!
• Don't buy stock.
• Scraps are free and bones often make the usable portion cost less. Make your own.
• Chickens come with bones and skin.  Never pay more for less. 
• 89 cents/lb for a 4 lb chicken with 1.5 to 2 lb of breast or 2.89/lb for 1.5 lb of breast?  Buy the whole chicken!  less money. same breast, plus thighs, legs, wings, gizzards and stock... I'll write about breaking down a chicken if you need. 
• Ever gone out to a farm and seen where they raise the boneless skinless chicken breasts? Nor have I.
• Breast = bulk, the rest of the bird is (cringe) flavor-town.
• skin may be rendered down into the most delicious thing since bacon. A tiny bit of salt and most of the fat rendered out makes it better for you than the skin on that KFC or roast chicken... chicken cracklins... (great to add to soup for extra flavor)
• wings are well, wings. if you don't go for that, the meat on wings thighs and legs may easily diced and used for great soup, casseroles, chicken salad, etc.
• The bones and guts are pure flavor.  throw them in a pot with some onion scraps, carrot peels and celery tops and cores, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook until the chicken completely falls apart. strain and cook down a bit more. skim the fat. now you have rich stock. (if you make chicken cracklins instead of putting the skin in, there wont be as much fat on top...)
• Don't throw away that carcass! STOCK!

That is enough for today.  More to come as I think of them.