One of the biggest lessons I learned at winemaking school and working in the industry was the importance of balance when it comes to making things taste their best.
While it can be a bit daunting when you’re just starting out, there are a few rules of thumb that can help guide your decision making and get you to the best tasting results.
Here are some common problems and the best way to fix them:
too salty
A little sugar can balance but tread very carefully because it’s easy to go too sweet – which can taste weird. The safest way to overcome a big salty problem is to dilute the food, adding water or more of any of the component ingredients will help.
too sweet
A little salt is your friend. For some reason overly sweet dishes respond better to salt than salty dishes respond to sugar.
bland
Salt is my first choice. The second is a little acidity – lemon juice is my go-to here.
too acidic
In winemaking, sugar can help balance out acidity. It also works in food, but we cooks are lucky to have another option. A little cream, butter or olive oil is a really lovely way to smooth out something too sharp.
oily / too rich
While this isn’t so much a flavour problem, acidity helps to cut through the richness. Think fish & chips with vinegar or lemon juice or fresh sharp raspberries with a too rich chocolate cake.
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