When I was first getting into cooking, I always felt a little lost when I got to the part of the recipe that said ‘season to taste’. I’d just add in some salt and pepper, cross my fingers and hope for the best.
Well, actually, I wouldn’t ‘literally’ cross my fingers.. but you know what I mean.
All that changed for me on a trip to Mexico…
Taking a class in Mexican cooking in a little place outside of the beautiful city of Oaxaca, I learned a lot more than the fact that fried grasshoppers are delicious. I learned what is means to season properly.
And what a massive difference it can make to how things taste.
We made a pretty ho-hum fish soup. Then with the help of our instructor, seasoned it until it was a delicious soup. A soup that danced on our palates.
From that day on I’ve learned to take the time to season my food. I can’t tell you what a difference it’s made to my cooking.
It only takes a minute or so. And a few basic ingredients.
Time well spent..
what is seasoning?
Seasoning is about improving the flavour of your food mostly via the addition of salt and pepper. Herbs, spices, sweet things and acidic things can also be considered seasoning.
here are a few general tips to get you started
think about the saltiness of your ingredients
One of the best ways to anticipate whether you’re going to need any extra seasoning is to have a think about how much salt each ingredient is contributing. If there are a heap of olives, anchovies, capers or bacon, for example, the dish will probably already be sufficiently salty.
beware of taste saturation
Remember that when your taste buds have been exposed to something a few times, they become less sensitive to those flavours. So if you’ve been tasting and tweaking for a while, it’s good to have a break and a glass of water, and ideally take 5 minutes out of the kitchen. The other option is to get a second opinion from someone else.
consider your accompaniments & the end use
If you’re making a filling for pies, remember that it’s going to be eaten with the pastry so a little bit more salt might not be a bad thing.
allow for the serving temperature
The colder things are, the duller the flavours (or really the less we perceive them). Best to taste and season at the serving temperature if you can, otherwise try and allow for differences in temperature.
consider individual preferences and sensitivities
Everyone is different. People who rarely eat salty food will be more sensitive than those who eat out all the time. Likewise, younger people tend to be more taste sensitive than the elderly. The answer is to season as much as you think it needs, but serve some salt at the table for your guests to fine tune, if desired.
always err on the ‘less is more’
As we’ve already covered, removing excess salt is pretty much impossible, so best to season gradually.
it’s OK to expectorate
One of the most useful skills I learnt during my time as a winemaker was how to spit like a champion. Now I know the thought can be a little gross for some people, I’d much rather spit as I’m tasting and seasoning and still feel like eating when I sit down to dinner, rather than that feeling of being absolutely stuffed before the meal has even begun. It’s up to you really.
keen to learn more about seasoning?
Check out the in depth seasoning lessons covered in Solve Your Dinner Dilemma:
1. salt & pepper
2. sweet & sour (acidity)
3. flavourings
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