Mainely Martha

Having taken a few weeks reprieve to relax and enjoy the summer before it slips away, this week the kitchen has begun to come alive again. While the summer can bring the simplicity of grilling, salads and yes, s’mores, the season is beginning to dwindle down and the ramping up to cooking of more complex meals is beginning to ramp up.

Being away and enjoying some of the fresh abundance of the summer splendor, was disappointed on more than one occasion by heavy handed seasoning which completely took away from the natural flavor the food had to offer if simply left on it’s own. With the basic understanding that most cooking is elevated by a pinch of salt or dash of other seasoning there is also the need to understand adding too much is…well, cruel.

Look at the simplicity of s’mores; three ingredients combined to make a bite of awesomeness. Yes, there are recipes out there (and on this site) that are variations of s’mores, but at the end of the day it is three ingredients that combine to make that luscious bite; graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow…simple as that. So when you are offering fresh picked corn or fresh caught fish on your menu, why drown that freshness with a pile of salt?  Do you order a coffee with eleven creams? Guess what…its not coffee anymore!

Combinations of ingredients can produce wonderful flavor, but there needs to be a balance to create the blended harmony. And adding more can lead to just more and completely overpower the natural flavor of the food. Yes, you want flavor and may need to add seasoning to enhance, but remember to show restraint and add in moderation and taste as you add. In fact, even when following a recipe, season to taste.

“Apricots, soaked in honey? Quite why, no one knows, because it stops them tasting like apricots and makes them taste like honey… and if you wanted honey, you could just… buy honey.” – William, Notting Hill