Acid

ACIDIC LIQUIDS HEIGHTEN FLAVOR. If you’ve cooked any soups or stews, you’ve already put this critical lever beneath your food to lift it up. The ability to use salt well and the ability to cook foods to the right temperature—these are important skills to have, but are often discussed explicitly in recipes and directives to home cooks. Less often stated is the importance of using acid as a seasoning device. It’s second only to salt in its potential for elevating the flavors of your cooking.

The power of acid was the first of many “a-ha” moments I experienced in culinary school. We were making a cream soup (broccoli), but the point was to learn the creamed soup technique and about the last thing I would have thought to put in my lovingly tended soup was a shot of vinegar! Vinegar in cream? I approached Chef Pardus like Oliver approaching Mr. Bumble. He sat behind his desk, paper toque rising high above his brow, grade book and tasting spoons before him. I set the soup down. Pardus drew his spoon through the soup, lifted some with the spoon, and let it fall—evaluating consistency. Good. Then he tasted. He evaluated the seasoning. The soup had the right amount of salt, but something was missing. “I want you to take this back to your station and taste the soup. Then take a spoonful and put a drop of white wine vinegar in it. Taste it, and tell me what you think.”