Bitter sweet

Art Culinaire, Wntr, 2002

What is it about a hot cup of coffee that begs for a pastry coated with chocolate or filled with fruit preserves? At opposite ends of the flavor spectrum and tongue: bitter and sweet attract. Though sweetness is detected at the tip of the tongue and bitterness at the back, the two tastes meld together effortlessly; one arousing the other. Of all our senses, taste and smell are chemical gauges through which we discern the chemical world around us. Even as the most primitive of beings we relied on a specialized sense of taste and smell for survival; to avoid the bitter alkaloids prominent in poisonous foliage and draw us towards sweet plants filled with natural sugars. Though many of our taste preferences are conditioned behavior, some are inherent. An affinity for sweet and aversion to bitter flavors are part of our genetic makeup. This is attributed in part to the occurrence of sugars in wholesome, vitamin enriched foods that are a valuable source of fuel and the unpleasant biting flavor of alkaloids present in harmful plants (McGee 562). Quinine and caffeine are two distinguished carriers of such alkaloids. Fructose, lactose, and glucose are the bearers of sweetness. Some ingredients, when added to a recipe magnify the existing flavors. Monosodium glutamate or MSG for example, intensifies both salty and bitter flavors. Likewise, a chemical in artichokes known as cynarin makes any accompanying ingredient taste sweet. Temperature is also a culprit of magnifying flavors, as taste is most easily discernible between 72 and 105 degrees (McGee 569).

In addition to physical and biological factors, there is also a symbiotic condition under which flavors sing. In other words, when properly paired together, opposites can attract--even balance each other. So is the case when bitter and sweet flavors merge. Chocolate, a prime example is, in its natural state, very bitter. When sugar is added, the bitterness mellows and becomes more agreeable to our sugar-prone palate. When added to a recipe, it is best to add bitter rather than sweetened chocolate, not only to preserve the naturally rich chocolate flavor and texture, but to prevent the dish from becoming overly sweet when combined with other ingredients including sugar. The addition of sugar in pastry recipes is important not only for flavor but for creaming butter, retaining moisture, softening a batter, and giving icing a sturdy texture (Amendola and Lundberg 52).

The tongue detects bitter, sweet, salt, sour; the nose on the other hand detects hundreds of different qualities, like floral, herbaceous, or sulfuric. These two senses are experienced in the pharynx providing us with the sensation of flavor, or rather a palate. Never one to bore the palate, there is perhaps no restaurant more capable of commenting on the paradox of flavors than recipes from the kitchen of Alain Ducasse.

RELATED ARTICLE: Nicolas Berger

Alain Ducasse at the Essex House

New York, NY

Long before the critics could line up or the gilded doors could part for Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, years were spent, notebook in hand, accruing the names of purveyors from the steely waters of Maine to the damp trails of Oregon, from the orchards in Ohio to the docks off the Florida Keys. Not only has Ducasse made a gustatory home in New York, but he has found for himself an emporium--of Alice in Wonderland proportion. In his new release, Harvesting Excellence, Ducasse heralds small purveyors and the superior indigenous ingredients of the United States. He tracks each pantry item state by state, pursuing even the most remote experts like Running Squirrel, a descendant of Cherokee Indians who forages the river valleys of Oregon and Washington state for wild greens. Dates must come from the Flying Disc Ranch in Southern California, peaches from Brad Phillips in Ohio, and chocolate from wine maker turned chocolatier, John Scharffenberger with partner Robert Steinberg in California. Flour and cheese too, though different from their French counterparts, shine for their unique and personal character. Hardly an ingredient, save for the irresistible Isyny St. Mere, a butter produced in Normandy, France with a butterfat content of 82%, is brought from home for guests to slather on their warm, crusty loaves. In the kitchen too, Lescure butter is preferred for its low water content and minimal maturation, resulting in a better overall flavor. But as Mr. Ducasse himself points out, his mission in the Untied States has been to combine his culinary savoir faire with the know-how of American farmers. It is with each course that diners are lavished with his findings.

Once a guest has been thoroughly indulged, a tastefully portioned dessert goes a long way in leaving just the right lasting impression. "We do one dessert that the customer chooses from the menu and a second dessert that we give to everybody," Pastry Chef Nicolas Berger explains of his repertoire. "Right now we have a little panna cotta with strawberries and a grapefruit sorbet." Berger understands the limitations of a diner who has just conquered a four or five course dinner, "We give them a lot of food, so they want something light, not heavy; a little sweet and a little freshness, that's why fruit compote and marmalade are good, not too sweet and very light." He explains that it is important that the flavors are very strong so the guest can taste it right away and not have to eat a lot to get the flavor. In addition to impressive flavors, Berger exploits textures and opposing ingredients. "I know that Mr. Ducasse likes bitter things and I like sweet things, so I decided to combine these flavors, Berger no tes. "Combining bitter and sweet has no season; it is something that is always good, it is something to wake you up." The sweetness of sugar, milk, cream, and cheese are combined with the bitter qualities of coffee, chocolate, citrus, and almonds into something creamy, sweet and soft-unforgettable. Berger understands well the nuances of blending. An early pupil of the culinary arts, Berger grew up in his father's pastry shop in Lyon, France. After three years as an apprentice at home, he traveled to Paris, working at Au Petit Boule Patisserie as a pastry chef and later at Peltier Patisserie as Head Pastry Chef. He moved to Italy for one year to accept a pastry chef position at Tagliafico Pasticceria and Genova, Italy for one year. He moved to New York where he worked for one year at Payard Patisserie and Bistro and then spent two years in the kitchens of The Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan. When Alain Ducasse came to New York, it wasn't long before Berger was recruited to join the crew at the Essex House as Past ry Director Frederic Robert's, assistant. Under Robert's supervision, Berger fine tunes his repertoire of unique confections. Though the last three years of his career were spent in New York he feels his pastry style would have developed in the same manner no matter where he worked, "I think you have to be a sponge to keep everything in your mind, each job has influenced me." At Payard Patisserie and Bistro he learned to make display cakes. While working with Ducasse however, Berger is able to work his finesse on plated desserts, where his options and the amount of time he can dedicate to each idea is much greater. No matter his teachers, Berger feels strongly about the integrity of the dish. "I have never been a fan of garnishes--it makes no sense to do something just to do it, just to get a reaction out of the guest," Berger reasons. "To me, the flavor should be enough." The result: an elegant presentation with explosive taste, from the tip of the tongue to the back of the mouth.