Seven years ago I packed a large suitcase full of specialty glassware, napkins and floral tape and flew to Anaheim, California. I didn't want to go but my dad persuaded me, telling me even if I didn't win that "it was all part of the adventure." And no, I didn't win (or even come close), but it was an adventure, and it has changed the way I think about flavor.
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| Saffron and water on paper |
My presentation was ok. I told a story about the origin of
processing plants for human consumption, creating alchemy with a plant's
volatile oils to delight our taste buds - but my espresso shot out of the
machine in an embarrassing manner and the cappuccinos were thin without a trace
of art. Yes this was the U.S. National Barista Championship with fifty of the
country's best baristas, and no, I didn't nail it.
But, I did study my butt off. My bosses helped me practice after hours, and I poured over the coffee
taster's flavor wheel with caffeinated intensity, honing my sensory skills so
that each adjective matched what (hopefully) I might deliver in the cup. Notes
of jasmine with an undertone of salted caramel was the goal. A woody aroma with
bitter aftertaste the result.
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| Spice wheel painting |
For those who haven't seen one, a barista competition
involves preparing twelve drinks in fifteen minutes: 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino
and 4 original "signature" beverages using your chosen espresso blend.
They all have to be in different serving ware, narrated according to your theme
or story, and delivered flawlessly with compelling and original knowledge of
specialty coffee. Each barista is judged by four sensory judges and three
technical judges who swarm around you with clipboards, scribbling down your
destiny. If you win your country's competition, you go to compete in the world
championship.
The flavor wheel is not just used for coffee. There are
flavor wheels for cheese, wine, perfume, chocolate, even cigars. It's a way of
illustrating with colors and describing with words the diversity of aromas that
exist for a particular edible (or sniffable) thing. It creates a lexicon that
anyone can use to delve deeper into the senses. Since our taste buds can only distinguish
sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami, it's a way to understand the nuances and
complexity of flavors for which our olfactory system was designed.
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| My initial sketches for the spice flavor wheel |
Flavors can be broken down into chemical compounds with
structures that can be imitated in a lab; for example a compound called eugenol creates the dominant flavor in cloves and the lesser-known flavor in sweet
basil. Isolating these compounds means that they can be used to create artificial
flavors instead of having to use the real plant; imitation vanilla is the most
famous. And while I certainly appreciate the consistency of artificial flavors
- I'm not a purist, I eat junk food sometimes - it's the delicate nuances
that can't be re-created that give
food the most meaning and memory. The placement of the spices on the wheel is
according to my interpretation - not to science - but science plays a role.
So what is the flavor wheel for? If you think of it as a map, the wheel can be a useful tool to
see the relationships between spices. For example, black pepper and chile
peppers are in the same neighborhood (and both confusingly called 'peppers,'
thanks to Chris Columbus) because they produce a hot sensation in your mouth.
Woody spices like juniper, with its piney notes, are near to resinous spices
like mastic because resin spices are the sap of certain species of trees.
The colors reflect common associations with the senses - red
for hot, green for vegetal, brown for earthy. One difference from other flavor
wheels is the blurring from one color to the next. I don't believe in there being
strict boundaries for flavor, despite being able to isolate them in a lab. The
blurring of the watercolor paint pigments exhibits the same blurring of one
flavor to the next - the warm, pungent notes of mustard into the aromatic heat of
ginger. It's not a how-to manual but I think a flavor wheel can be a really fun
tool when used with an open mind and sense of creativity.
I'm offering a new class at Curio this June called "Spice101" where I go into these ideas in more detail, with plenty of tasting and smelling. There will be a bit of history and a bit of science but more than
anything a focus on demystifying spices and igniting
inspiration for cooking. It will be a colorful and delicious class. In the
meantime, tip those hard-working baristas, and let me know what you think about this new flavor wheel!
