The Flavor Thesaurus

May 1, 2023
Times food columnist Segnit explores the power of unexpected flavor combinations in this tantalizing and inspiring follow-up to The Flavor Thesaurus. Focused on plant-forward ingredients, this handy reference offers tasty vegetable match-ups for creative cookery, organized within 19 “flavour families.” The “Floral Fruity” category, for example, recommends pairing “lusty” tomato with honey for a sweet ripening effect. “Caramel Roasted” pairings include miso and yogurt, imparting a deep salty flavor tempered by fattiness, and rye and avocado, which “soothes” rye’s “hotter, rougher side.” Mushrooms, prunes, or white beans gain extra dimension in combo with the allium family (garlic, leeks, and chives), while “leguminous” lentils benefit from the “acidic shock” brought by Japanese pickled ginger. Chocolate-infused halva becomes “not unlike a Milky Way that has melted in your beach bag then resolidified in the fridge.” Recipes primarily take the form of suggestions or formulas, often presented as reminiscences by the author, whose easygoing prose draws on culinary science, sensory appeal, and the spirit of experimentation. With its flavor pairings conveniently cross-referenced, this guide is as practical as it is mouthwatering. Agent: Zoë Waldie at Rogers, Coleridge & White.

November 1, 2010

Like Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg's The Flavor Bible, this volume aims to encourage cooks to be creative in the kitchen. While Page and Dornenburg used a panel of experts, Segnit, who's worked with companies such as Coca-Cola and Cadbury to develop products and flavors, relied on personal experience. Her intuitive approach produces a cozy collection of description, anecdotes, and recipes within the flavor combination entries. In an introduction, she describes what inspired the book (a cooking rut); the methodology used to group flavors into families such as citrusy, meaty, and earthy; and the subjective nature of classifying flavors. The main text is made up of descriptions of combinations and the elements of each (e.g., nutty, sweet) as well as how the two flavors interact with each other (enhance, blunt, complement, etc.). Segnit's intimate style makes the book enjoyable as well as useful. VERDICT This handy little guide will be a wonderful addition for cooks trying to expand their repertoire.--Ginny Wolter, Toledo-Lucas Cty. P.L.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2010
The art of combining one food with another to create flavor harmonies has challenged earnest cooks for centuries. A good deal of science underlies this attempt to codify the senses reactions, but in the last analysis, flavors either taste good together or they dont. Segnit, who has made a career creating and marketing new products, has set down what shes discovered over the decades about which flavors harmonize with one another. She readily acknowledges the general success of such traditional pairings as lamb and mint, asparagus and mushrooms, garlic and basil, cucumber and dill, and bacon and eggs. But she goes on to explore more obscure and unusual combinations including watermelon and chili, horseradish and beets, Parmesan and pineapple, oysters and chicken, and even bacon and chocolate. Any aspiring culinary student will find this an invaluable reference work, and home cooks may find equal inspiration in Segnits creative ruminations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)