Gastronomy History and Evolution

Gastronomy

• "Gastronomy" derives from the Greek words "gastro" (stomach) and "nomy" (rules), referring to the rules governing the consumption of food.
• Coined by French writer Berchoux, it gained popularity in France after the French Revolution, representing the growing importance of cuisine in the new bourgeois society.

History of Gastronomy

• Key figures like Athenaeus, Apicius, and Bartolomeo de Sacchi di Piadena (Platina) contributed significantly to the understanding of fine dining.
• Platina's 1450 work "De honesta voluptate" highlights the early foundations of gastronomy.
• The development of Haute Cuisine (High Cuisine) marks the professionalization and codification of cooking and dining practices in the Western world.
• August Escoffier and Cesar Ritz significantly influenced the French kitchen brigade management system.
• "Nouvelle Cuisine" emerged in France during the 1970s and 1980s, marking a shift in culinary trends.

Contemporary Gastronomy

• Promotes hybrid creations and "creolization," where distinct cuisines blend to create new dishes.
• This is especially prevalent in post-colonial regions where indigenous cultures are reclaiming influence.

Mouthfeel

• Describes the textural sensation of food, encompassing qualities like: hard, soft, brittle, crumbly, crisp, crunchy, chewy, tender, tough, gummy, viscous, thin, thick, sticky, tacky, gooey, airy chalky, flaky, fibrous, grainy, granular, gritty, lumpy, pulpy, sandy, doughy, elastic, heavy, light, mushy, rubbery, slimy, slippery, smooth, spongy, soggy, flaccid, springy, juicy, fatty, greasy, and oily.

Smell and Odor Identification

• Smell plays a crucial role in taste perception, with loss of smell leading to decreased taste, a condition called anosmia.
• Odor identification relies on the olfactory receptor cells, each sensitive to one specific chemical compound.
• Seven types of olfactory receptor cells interact with different shaped molecules to identify various odors.
• Odor groups include Camphoraceous, Musky, Floral, Minty, Ethereal (Ether), Putrid, and Pungent.
• Volatility, chemical composition, concentration, temperature, solubility, and mobility of odor compounds affect odor identification.

Factors Affecting Odor Identification in Individuals

• Psychological Factors: past experiences, aversions, expectations, culture, geography, social factors.
• Physiological Factors: nasal infections, hormonal state, age, gender.

Odor Profiles

• Evaluated in terms of qualitative characteristics (similarity to other odor compounds) and quantitative characteristics (intensity and sensitivity).

Assessing Flavor

• Combines three elements: odor, taste, and mouth-feel.

Cultural Determinants of Taste

• The cultural context of taste preferences during infancy significantly influences individual taste development in adulthood.

Food Types

• Raw Foods: Fish, meat, vegetables, fruits. Characterized by freshness, cleanness, aliveness, vibrancy, acidity, tanginess, and naturalness.
• Processed Foods: Chocolate, coffee, flour (milled, sifted), milk (pasteurized, homogenized), herbs, spices.
• Preserved Foods: Pickles, chutneys, jams, salted, dried, smoked, bottled, heat-treated, fermented, cooked and stored in fat.
• Prepared Foods: Mayonnaise, cake mix, ice cream.
• Cooked Foods: Foods heated, drastically changing their taste chemistry. Examples include prepared foods, mayonnaise, tinned soup, ice cream.
• Cooking Methods: Steaming, Broiling, Roasting, Frying (deep frying), Braising, Stewing, Baking, Stir-frying, Barbecuing (hibachi), Earth oven cooking (umu), Tandoor, Brick oven.

Food and Wine Pairing Motivations

• Enhance customer satisfaction with the overall dining experience.
• Increase profitability.

Pairing Components

• Primary Taste Components: correspond to basic taste perception on the tongue.
• Complimentary: shared characteristics. Example: adding salt to a flat chili or pairing off-dry Riesling with pork tenderloin.
• Contrasting: opposites attract, balancing flavors. Example: squeezing lemon juice on buttery salmon or pairing Sauvignon Blanc with raw oysters.

Key Elements in Understanding Food and Wine Matching

• Acidity: cuts through rich, salty, oily, fatty, mild, or spicy dishes. Less tart wines are thinned out by tart dishes. Acidic wines pair well with tart food.
• Sweetness: counterbalances moderate levels of spicy heat.
• Saltiness: reduced by wine's acidity. Salt perception increases with tannin. Alcohol is accentuated by salt. Salty dishes can be balanced by off-dry wines.
• Tannin: pairs well with bitter food. Example: steak with Cabernet Sauvignon. Tannin and fish oil generally do not pair well.
• Oak: oaky flavors are intensified by food. Oaky wines require specific food pairings to showcase their best qualities. Example: Chardonnay and dessert.
• Alcohol: match wines and food of similar intensity. Higher alcohol content can be challenging to pair.

3 Food Pairing Keys

• Ingredients
• Cooking Methods: low impact or high impact
• Sauces and Condiments

Notes on Flavor

• Flavor may not be the most important factor in pairing decisions.
• Flavors evoke memories.

General Menu Planning

• Audience: Who is the target audience?
• Purpose: What is the goal of the event?
• Theme: Is there a specific theme?
• Constraints: What are the limitations related to equipment, staff, and location?
• Guest Count: How many guests will attend?
• Special Needs: Are there any dietary restrictions or allergies?
• Menu Flow: What is the desired sequence of dishes?