Sweetness

WHEN I WORKED AS A PASTRY COOK at Sugar, Butter, Flour, my responsibilities included preparing large batches of frostings in addition to assembling the various pastries and cakes. Large tubs of various types of sugars were neatly labeled to avoid the risk of a mix-up. Unfortunately, one day somehow the lids got switched and I ended up using a large quantity of cornstarch instead of confectioner’s sugar to make a frosting. You can imagine what happened next—a tasteless, chalky-textured mass of cream. There was no option but to clean up and start from scratch. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for humans, and our ability to taste the sweetness of sugars evolved as a guide to help us seek foods that provide energy for our metabolic needs. Sugars are also responsible for several food textures that we want in baked foods such as breads and cakes. We also rely on sugars as the main source of energy for bacteria and yeasts during fermentation to produce acids like vinegar, alcohols such as wine, and ingredients like bread and yogurt.