The Ultimate Flavour Matchmaker

 Call us a flavour matchmaker, but love is in the air and these flavours are hitting it off! 

A well-balanced meal is a tricky thing when you’re new to cooking. A little too much salt or spice can throw a meal’s balance off. It’s like a relationship, all the components need each other to balance out the flavour and not be overwhelming. But don’t fret because there are tips and tricks to make these flavours fall in love again!

1. Spice & Dairy

There’s nothing worse than adding too much spice to your dish. It can make your cooking & eating experience far from enjoyable. No need to throw out all your hard work — dairy to the rescue! When the spice gets out of hand, add in a little dairy to calm it down. Think heavy cream, yogurt, cheese, and even coconut milk. That’s why cayenne is often added to Mexican hot chocolate and milk is used in a lot of curries.

2. Sweet & Sour

Opposites attract, and sweet and sour are no exception. These two opposites LOVE to be around each other because they mellow each other out. So when you go sugar happy on a dish, you can add in something sour to help mellow out the flavours (and vice versa). It’s why citrus is often found in desserts, not just as the main flavour but to balance out the other sweet flavours.

3. Bitter & Salty

Even with different tolerances, people tend not to like an overly bitter flavour, but bitter foods tend to be good for you like deep green vegetables. In order to counteract the bitter flavour, salt can bring out its best quality — deliciousness! But don’t worry salt isn’t your only option here, you can also add ingredients like soy sauce, cured meats, or olives!

Finding the perfect balance of flavours can be hard, like love, but any cooking mishap can be corrected thanks to this flavour matchmaker! Looking for more cooking tips in time for your Valentine’s Day dinner? Check out these great cooking hacks, tips, and charts!