The Science of Flavour: Unlock the Secrets of Flavourful Cooking

They say you eat with the eyes. But we now know thatsmell, texture, temperature, colour and even atmosphere down to thebackground music influence how we perceive flavour.

As anyone who has lost their sense of taste will know, flavourless food is dulland monochrome – it is flavour that brings food into full technicolour life.Yet it’s not always easy to make something tasty; the secrets to flavour canbaffle chefs and scientists alike.

Food science expert Dr Stuart Farrimond explores major flavour categories suchas salt, acid and heat (from chillies) and how they interact, and profiles allthe major foods from individual fruit, veg, herbs and spices to the buildingblocks such as rice and wheat that give us stapes like bread, pasta, andnoodles. With pairing notes for every ingredient, you’ll soon be inventing newrecipes.

About the Author

Medical doctor turned food scientist and author of DKbestsellers The Science of Cooking (2017), The Science of Spice (2018) and TheScience of Living (2020), “Dr Stu” is a science and medical writer,presenter and educator. He makes regular appearances on TV, radio, and atpublic events, and his writing appears in national and internationalpublications. Stuart is also the founder and editor of online lifestyle-sciencemagazine Guru.