What’s So Great About Sweet and Tart?
It was the simplest of meals, but tasty and filling: grilled pork chops and peaches with a simple salad.
It all starts with the chops. A good pork chop needs some fat attached. That fat not only keeps the meat moist while cooking; it also enhances flavor because the fat that coats your tongue allows aromatics to stay in contact with your taste buds longer. I started out with a great chop that I removed from the fridge to get to room temperature while I lit the charcoal on the grill. While waiting for the coals to reach cooking temperature, I rubbed the chops with a berbere spice blend (Ethiopian) mix I had previously made and stored in a jar. Convenient. Then I cut the peaches in half and split them, rinsed the salad mix, and whipped up a simple vinaigrette dressing. Just in time, I placed the chops and the peaches on the grill. All you need is heat and time to cook the meal. After about 7 or 8 minutes, I flipped them over and in about 15-20 minutes cooking time total, dinner was ready. Sweet and savory.
The Chinese knew what they were doing when they created sweet-and-sour dishes. They can be simple, such as this tomato and watermelon salad, or they can be as complicated as a great barbecue sauce on meat or a chicken salad with nectarines and goat cheese. But make no mistake, most humans love the combination. That’s something to keep in mind, especially given the produce that’s available now.
We can thank our primate ancestors for these sensations. We need energy, and the sweet sensation guides you to the foods with the most glucose. As for fats and the savory taste, they’re a backup energy source and also aid in absorbing nutrients. That sour/tart taste urges us to consume key acids: ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as well as other key amino acids and fatty acids. Think of the perfect peach the next time you bite into one, and you get a surge of sweet along with a little pucker of acid – the perfect sensation.
Mmmm … umami
That’s why I love to add some fruit or citrus juice to some dishes. Chili is a good example. It’s a complicated agglomeration of sweet/sour flavors, thanks to the tomatoes and peppers. The meat and beans not only add a savory (chefs call it umami), but the fats also enhance the flavors. To make a good chili better, I not only make sure to use good ingredients, especially meats and beans, but I also add some extra acid with the juice of a lime to extend the flavors of the tomato and meat.
My meal of chops and peaches was not only nutritious; the hot grill enhanced and intensified the flavors of both the meat and the fruit. That hot grill charred the outside of the pork, sealing in the juices, and it achieved the same results in the peaches, intensifying the flavor. The real test, though, was that Mrs. Farmboy enjoyed dinner.
To comment, please click on “Read in Browser” or on the headline to view the blog on the website. You can log in and comment at the end of the blog to share your thoughts and start a discussion.
If you’d like to share the blog, click on the Facebook icon or one of the others. Thanks!
