ACHIOTE SEEDS

tomatoes

vinegar: champagne, red wine, sherry

Flavor Affinities

anchovies + lemon + olive oil + rosemary

ANGELICA

Taste: bitter, sweet

Volume: loud

Tips: Add late in cooking; use in baking.

Use to balance high-acid fruit, to reduce the need for sweeteners.

almonds

anise

apricots

candy

cream and ice cream

custards

desserts

fish

fruits

ginger: fresh, candied

hazelnuts

juniper berries

lavender

lemon balm

liqueurs

mushrooms

Angelica pairs well with fresh or candied ginger. And angelica with rhubarb really intensifies the flavor of the rhubarb.
—JERRY TRAUNFELD, THE HERBFARM (WOODINVILLE, WASHINGTON)

nutmeg

oranges

pepper, black

plums

*RHUBARB

salads

shellfish

strawberries

Flavor Affinities

angelica + cream + rhubarb

ANISE

(See also Anise, Star, and Fennel)

Function: warming

Weight: light–medium

Volume: moderate–loud

Tips: Add early in cooking.

allspice

almonds

apples

baked goods, esp. cakes, cookies

beets

breads, esp. rye

cabbage

cakes

cardamom

carrots

cauliflower

cheese, esp. goat and ricotta

chestnuts

Chinese cuisine

cinnamon

cloves

coffee

cookies

crab

cream

cumin

dates

desserts

duck

fennel seeds

figs

FISH

fruit

garlic

ginger

hazelnuts

lemon

lentils

mayonnaise

Mediterranean cuisine

melon

Middle Eastern cuisine

mole sauce

Moroccan cuisine

mussels

nutmeg

nuts

orange

parsnips

peaches

pears

pepper

pickles

pineapple

plums

pork

Portuguese cuisine

Provençal cuisine (French)

prunes

pumpkin

quince

raisins

rhubarb

salumi

Anise seeds and fennel are used for braising our pork belly. Fennel and pork is a natural, just like in Italian sausage.
—CARRIE NAHABEDIAN, NAHA (CHICAGO)

ANISE HYSSOP

Season: late spring–summer

Taste: sweet

Weight: light–medium

Volume: quiet–moderate

apricots

basil

beans, green

beets

berries, esp. blueberries

beverages

carrots

cherries

chervil

chicken cream and ice cream

currants

custards

desserts

fennel bulb

fish

FRUITS, ESP. SUMMER

honey

lavender

lemon

lychees

marjoram

melons

mint

nectarines

oranges

parsley

parsnips

peaches

pears

plums

pork

raspberries

rice

salads: fruit, green

shellfish (e.g., shrimp)

shrimp

spinach

squash, winter

stone fruits (e.g., peaches)

sweet potatoes

tarragon

teas

tomatoes

vegetables, root

watermelon

zucchini

ANISE, STAR

Taste: sweet, bitter

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate–loud

Tips: Add at the beginning of the cooking process. Use in stir-fries.

allspice

baked goods (e.g., breads, pastries)

beef

beverages

cardamom

chestnuts

chicken

chile peppers

chili powder

CHINESE CUISINE

chocolate, esp. milk

cinnamon

citrus zest

cloves

coriander

cumin

curry powder (ingredient)

duck

eggs

fennel seeds

figs

fish

FIVE-SPICE POWDER

fruits, esp. tropical

garlic

ginger

Indian cuisine

kumquats

leeks

lemongrass

lime, zest

liqueurs

mace

Malaysian cuisine

mangoes

maple syrup

meats, esp. fatty

nutmeg

orange, zest

oxtails

pears, esp. poached

As a kid, I hated black jelly beans. But I have grown to like all the various forms of anise, and star anise is one of my favorites. My favorite application is when it is infused with milk chocolate. It then has an almost malty-caramely quality to it. It adds that little something that people can’t quite identify. I also love pears with anise, which works well with roasted or poached pears.
—MICHAEL LAISKONIS, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

I love using star anise in dishes from meats to desserts. I love how it can be kind of meaty in a stew, or kind of sweet, adding bright, warm notes to a pumpkin dessert.
—TONY LIU, AUGUST (NEW YORK CITY)

Flavor Affinities

star anise + cream + maple

star anise + milk + milk chocolate + orange zest + sugar

star anise + pork + soy sauce + sugar

APPETIZERS

Tips: Saltiness stimulates appetite.

Serve small portions so as not to satiate the appetite too early in a meal.

Accompany appetizers with light-bodied wines.

Insalata A Voce: Green Apple, Marcona Almonds, Watercress, Pecorino
—Andrew Carmellini, A Voce (New York City)

Apple and Eggplant Croûte with Apple Butter, Cranberry Compote, and Lemon-Poached Apples
—Dominique and Cindy Duby, Wild Sweets (Vancouver)

Apple Softcake with Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon Soup
—Dominique and Cindy Duby, Wild Sweets (Vancouver)

Sautéed Apples, Olive Oil Sponge, Maple–Brown Butter Ice Cream
—Johnny Iuzzini, pastry chef, Jean Georges (New York City)

Poached Granny Smith Apples, Wildflower Honey, and Belgian Endive Leaves
—Thomas Keller, The French Laundry (Yountville, California)

Apple-Lychee Sorbet
—Michael Laiskonis, pastry chef, Le Bernardin (New York City)

Caramelized Apple Sundae with Butter Pecan Ice Cream
—Emily Luchetti, Farallon (San Francisco)

Warm Granny Smith Apple Tart with Buttermilk Ice Cream
—Patrick O’Connell, The Inn at Little Washington (Washington, Virginia)

APPLES

Season: autumn

Taste: sweet, astringent

Function: cooling

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet–moderate

Techniques: bake, caramelize, deep-fry (e.g., as fritters), grill, poach, raw, sauté, stew

allspice

almonds

The combination of apple and celery works. A tart green apple sorbet is not going to knock your socks off, because you are programmed to know it. When you add the flavor of celery, you get something new. I also love the flavors of apple and fennel together, especially in sorbet.
—MICHAEL LAISKONIS, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

I make an apple confit of thinly sliced apples with cinnamon caramel powder layered between the apples and baked slowly. When the dish is served, next to the apples is a small pile of dates poached in syrup with vanilla. The other flavors on the plate are lemon confit, quince, raw apple with apple cider gelée, and ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice blend).
For this dish you need a contrast for the sweetness, so the role of the lemon confit is to cleanse and refresh. If the confit was not there, you would have a bite of the sweet date and be done. The date and lemon is like a salad. The line drawing this together is the quince and dates that come from the Middle East and that was the line to ras el hanout.
—MICHAEL LAISKONIS, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

If you cook apples on top of the stove, some varieties will have a lot of juice while others will have none at all. Fuji, Gala, and Golden Delicious apples tend to be juicy, while Granny Smith apples are often drier. With different types of apples, you often don’t know exactly what they will do. So if I’m going to serve apples with gingerbread, I will sauté them in a little sugar and see what happens. If they are letting out a bunch of juice, I won’t add much sugar. If they are dry, I’ll add some apple juice or Calvados.
—EMILY LUCHETTI, FARALLON (SAN FRANCISCO)

When I make an apple pie, I won’t use any fewer than three different kinds of apples for their different textures and sweetnesses, which ensures that every single bite is interesting. I’ll use Galas or Golden Delicious apples for their sweetness in the middle of the pie, and soft Jonathans or McIntoshes on top for their ability to melt into the others, and Braeburns or Granny Smiths on the bottom for their ability to stay firm…. I can’t imagine an apple pie without cinnamon, a splash of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
—SHARON HAGE, YORK STREET (DALLAS)

Apples and caramel are a wonderful combination and depending on what nut you add it will take the combination in very different directions. If you add pecans, it would make the combination a heavier winter dessert, versus adding almonds, which would keep it lighter. Both work; you just need to decide how heavy you want the dish.
—EMILY LUCHETTI, FARALLON (SAN FRANCISCO)

apple cider or juice

applejack

apricots: dried, jam, puree

Armagnac

bacon

bay leaf

beef

blackberries

bourbon

brandy, esp. apple

brioche

BUTTER, UNSALTED

butterscotch

cabbage, red

CALVADOS

CARAMEL

cardamom

celery

celery root

cheese: Camembert, cheddar, goat, Gruyère

cherries: dried, fresh

chestnuts

chicken

chives

cider

*CINNAMON

cloves

cognac

Cointreau

coriander

cranberries

CREAM AND ICE CREAM

crème anglaise (sauce)

crème fraîche

crust: pastry, pie

cumin

currants, esp. black, and currant jelly

curry powder

custards

dates

duck

eggplant

fennel

French cuisine, esp. from Normandy

frisée

ginger

goose

hazelnuts

honey, esp. chestnut, wildflower

LEMON: JUICE, ZEST

oil: canola, hazelnut, walnut

peanuts and peanut butter

onions, esp. green, red

orange: juice, zest

parsley

raisins, esp. seedless, white

rhubarb

rice and rice pudding

Apple and shiso work well together. I especially like them together in a sorbet. I will use a Granny Smith apple that has a nice tartness combined with a little sugar, lemon, and then the shiso. The shiso has a cumin and cinnamon flavor that is a natural with apple.
—JERRY TRAUNFELD, THE HERBFARM (WOODINVILLE, WASHINGTON)

If you stay in the boundaries of what people think a dessert should be it gets very hard to do something new. We explain that they already eat carrot cake. We think parsnip will work instead of carrot and that kabocha squash will work instead of pumpkin in a pie.
When people see eggplant in a dessert they automatically think it will not work. You have to hide the unusual element and play up what people know already. The boundaries are limitless when you think of all the crossovers between sweet and savory. Duck à l’orange is a fruit and meat combined, so why not use bacon in a dessert? A pancake with maple syrup and bacon on the plate is really sweet and savory. So people already eat these combinations unconsciously.
For our apple-eggplant dessert, we start with a choux dough piecrust. Then we layer an almond cream-like custard. Then we alternate apple and eggplant slices side by side. We use baby eggplant because it has a spongy texture and sucks up moisture from the cream that can otherwise make the crust soggy and absorb the juice and flavor from the apples that would normally just evaporate. So when you eat the eggplant and apples, the eggplant tastes like apples.
—DOMINIQUE AND CINDY DUBY, WILD SWEETS (VANCOUVER)

I have always been very fond of chef Frédy Girardet [who earned three Michelin stars at his restaurant in Switzerland before retiring in 1996]. When I was young, I cooked almost every recipe from his book and visited his restaurant. One of his most interesting desserts was an apple dessert made of apples in the shape of little balls. The dessert broke away from cooking apples whole in the traditional way, which alone inspired me. He cooked them over a very high heat for two minutes and put them into a red wine reduction that had cinnamon, orange peel, and sugar. This was put onto a sheet tray that needed to be shaken for an hour so the apples would not dry out. The apples would absorb these flavors like a sponge and would then be served with vanilla ice cream.
In that spirit, we transformed this dessert. We transformed the wine by “espherication” so that it creates a bubble of liquid that explodes in your mouth. We cut apples with a melon baller, then vacuum-packed the apples with the wine but cooked it in such a way that the apples stayed hard and absorbed the wine flavor.
—JOSÉ ANDRÉS, CAFÉ ATLÁNTICO (WASHINGTON, DC)

We serve a dish of smoked oysters with apples. We smoke the oysters over applewood, and so it seemed logical to add apple to the dish. We serve it with a puree of apple with juniper that just plays beautifully off the oyster.
—KATSUYA FUKUSHIMA, MINIBAR (WASHINGTON, DC)

soups

sour cream

star anise

SUGAR: BROWN, WHITE

vinegar: apple cider, raspberry

WALNUTS

wine: red, dry white

yogurt

Flavor Affinities

apples + almonds + caramel

apples + almonds + Armagnac + crème fraîche + raisins

apples + apricots + pine nuts + rosemary

apples + brown sugar + cream + walnuts

apples + Calvados + cranberries + maple syrup

apples + caramel + cinnamon

apples + caramel + cinnamon + dates + lemon confit + quince + ras el hanout + vanilla

apples + caramel + peanuts

apples + caramel + pecans

apples + caramel + pistachios + vanilla

apples + celery + walnuts

apples + cinnamon + cranberries

apples + cinnamon + dark chocolate + yams

apples + cream + ginger

apples + ginger + hazelnuts

apples + ginger + lemon + quince + sugar

apples + honey + lemon thyme

apples + raisins + rum

apples + red cabbage + cinnamon

APRICOTS—IN GENERAL

Season: summer

Taste: sweet

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: bake, grill, poach, raw, stew

allspice

ALMONDS

amaretto

anise

apples

apricot

brandy

bananas

blackberries

blueberries

brandy

butter, unsalted

caramel

cardamom

cayenne

cheese (e.g., Brie, Reblochon, ricotta)

cheesecake

cherries

chicken

chocolate, white

cinnamon

coconut

coffee and espresso

cognac

coriander

cranberries

CREAM AND ICE CREAM

crème anglaise

custards (e.g., crème brûlée)

duck

foie gras

game

garlic

ginger

hazelnuts

honey

ice cream, esp. vanilla

Kirsch

lamb

LEMON: juice, zest

lemon verbena

liqueurs: apricot, nut

maple syrup

mascarpone

Mediterranean cuisine

meringue

Middle Eastern stews

mint (garnish)

Moroccan cuisine

nectarines

nutmeg

nuts

oats and oatmeal

onions, esp. yellow

orange: juice, zest

orange liqueur

peaches

saffron salads, esp. fruit, green

Sauternes

sour cream

strawberries

SUGAR: brown, white

tea: apple, apricot, Earl Grey

Flavor Affinities

apricots + almonds + cream + sugar

apricots + almonds + meringue + Moscato d’Asti

apricots + apples + pine nuts + rosemary

apricots + cranberries + white chocolate

apricots + oranges + sugar + vanilla + walnuts

APRICOTS, DRIED

Techniques: poach, stew

allspice

cherries, dried

cinnamon

currants

custard

French toast

ginger

hazelnuts

honey

ice cream

lemon: juice, zest

Madeira

Moroccan

cuisine

orange: juice, zest

pancakes/crepes

pistachios

pork

prunes

pumpkin seeds

raisins

rice pudding

sugar

tamarind paste

vanilla

wine, sweet white (e.g., Muscat)

Flavor Affinities

dried apricots + dried cherries + ginger + orange + pistachios

ARGENTINIAN CUISINE

(See also Latin American Cuisine)

beef

corn

peaches

pumpkin

sweet potatoes

AROMA

When looking to make a big impact with aroma, turn to:

chocolate

cinnamon

herbs

pineapple

sous-vide cooking

spices

star anise

truffles

vanilla

Apricots are much better cooked than raw. It is rare that you find a fruit that reaches its full potential as cooked rather than raw, but an apricot is one. A so-so apricot poached will turn into heaven. They are great with either chamomile or lavender.
—GINA DEPALMA, BABBO (NEW YORK CITY)

Apricot is a fruit you need to cook to help unleash its flavors. A bite of raw apricot is kind of bland and doesn’t excite very much. If you throw that same apricot into the oven and heat it up a bit, it turns into a whole different fruit. Apricot with vanilla is a match made in heaven.
—EMILY LUCHETTI, FARALLON (SAN FRANCISCO)

We believe as much as 90 percent of flavor is due to aroma as oppposed to taste.
—DOMINIQUE AND CINDY DUBY, WILD SWEETS (VANCOUVER)

ARTICHOKES

Season: spring–early autumn

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate–loud

Techniques: bake, boil, braise, broil, deep-fry, grill, raw, roast, sauté, steam, stew

aioli

anchovies

arugula

bacon

basil

bay leaf

beans, fava

beets

bell peppers, esp. roasted

bread crumbs

butter

capers

carrots

Fettuccine with House-Made Pancetta, Artichokes, Lemon, and Hot Chiles
—Mario Batali, Babbo (New York City)

Spring Artichoke Fritto with Yogurt, Mint, and Lemon Aioli
—Andrew Carmellini, A Voce (New York City)

My mom made artichokes that we dipped in mayonnaise, so I tweaked that idea for the stuffed artichoke we serve here. Panko bread crumbs are mixed with chopped mint, salted, and stuffed into the artichoke cavity. The homemade mayonnaise I serve is made with eggs and just a little olive oil but mostly melted butter, which makes it richer and more flavorful—which is based on how it is made for the Chinese dish of shrimp and walnuts. The mayonnaise is then seasoned with anchovies, red pepper flakes, and onion confit.
—TONY LIU, AUGUST (NEW YORK CITY)

cashews

celery

cheese: Emmental, goat, Gruyère, Parmesan

chervil

chicken

chives

coriander

cream

crème fraîche

eggs: yolk, hard-boiled

French cuisine

GARLIC

grapefruit

ham (e.g., Serrano)

hazelnuts

hollandaise sauce

Italian cuisine

leeks

LEMON: confit, juice, zest

lobster

mayonnaise

Mediterranean cuisine

MINT

Moroccan cuisine

mushrooms

mustard, Dijon

nuts: cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts

oil: hazelnut, peanut

OLIVE OIL

olives: black, niçoise

ONIONS, ESP. SWEET AND YELLOW

orange

pancetta

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF PEPPER: BLACK, WHITE

pesto

piquillo peppers

potatoes

prosciutto

radicchio

Flavor Affinities

artichokes + butter + garlic + lemon + parsley

artichokes + cream + Parmesan cheese + thyme

artichokes + garlic + lemon

artichokes + garlic + lemon + mint

artichokes + garlic + lemon + olive oil

artichokes + garlic + lemon + olive oil + thyme

artichokes + garlic + mint

artichokes + garlic + Parmesan cheese + thyme

artichokes + garlic + sage

artichokes + lemon + mint + yogurt

artichokes + lemon + onions

artichokes + mushrooms + onions + sausage

artichokes + olive oil + Parmesan cheese + white truffles

red pepper flakes

rice

risotto

rosemary

saffron

sage

salads

SALT, KOSHER

savory

shallots

shellfish (e.g., crab)

sherry, dry

shrimp

soy sauce

Spanish cuisine

spinach

stock, chicken

sugar (pinch)

tapenade

tarragon, fresh

THYME, FRESH

TOMATOES

truffles, black

tuna

vinaigrette

vinegar: balsamic, rice, sherry, white wine

walnuts

WINE, DRYWHITE

yogurt

ARTICHOKES, JERUSALEM

Season: autumn–spring

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: bake, blanche, cream, fry, roast, sauté

anise

bacon

bay leaf

butter

celery

cheese, goat

chervil

chives

coriander

cream

cumin

dill

fennel leaves

fennel seeds

garlic

ginger

hazelnuts

leeks

lemon, juice

mace

meats, esp. roasted

morels

nutmeg

oil: nut, sunflower seed

olive oil

onions

parsley, flat-leaf

pepper, black

potatoes

rosemary

sage

salmon

salt, sea

shallots

stock, chicken

tarragon

thyme

vinegar

wine, dry white

Flavor Affinities

Jerusalem artichoke + goat cheese + hazelnuts

Jerusalem artichoke + lemon + morels

ARUGULA

(See also Lettuces—Bitter Greens and Chicories)

Season: spring–summer

Taste: bitter

Weight: light–medium

Volume: moderate–loud

Techniques: braise, raw (salads), sauté, soups, wilt

almonds

basil

beans, white

bell peppers, esp. red

cheese: Cabrales, feta, goat, mozzarella, Parmesan

chicken

cilantro

clams

corn

cucumbers

dill

eggs, esp. hard-boiled

endive

fennel

fish (e.g., salmon, tuna)

garlic

grapes

Italian cuisine

lemon juice

lettuces

lovage

Mediterranean cuisine

mesclun salad greens (key ingredient)

mint

mushrooms

mussels

nuts

olive oil

olives, black

oranges, esp. blood

pancetta

parsley

pasta

pears

pesto

pine nuts

potatoes

prosciutto

radicchio

radishes

risotto

salads and salad greens

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, Sweet Garlic Flan, “Sockeye” Salmon Tartare, Poached Quail Egg, and Crisp Sunchokes
—Carrie Nahabedian, Naha (Chicago)

Arugula Risotto with Roquefort and Pignoli Nuts
—Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern (New York City)

Arugula Salad with Cucumber, Mt. Vikos Feta, Mint, Coriander Vinaigrette, and Niçoise Olives
—Judy Rodgers, Zuni Café (San Francisco)

Sautéed Arugula with Paneer Cheese and Roasted Cashews
—Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala, Vij’s (Vancouver)

salt, esp. sea

shallots

shellfish (e.g., shrimp)

tomatoes

vinegar: balsamic, champagne, red wine, sherry, white wine

vinaigrettes

watercress

Flavor Affinities

arugula + balsamic vinegar + lemon + olive oil + Parmesan cheese

arugula + Cabrales cheese + endive + grapes

arugula + cucumber + feta cheese + mint

arugula + endive + radicchio

arugula + fennel + pears

arugula + pears + prosciutto

ASIAN CUISINE

(See Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. Cuisines)

ASPARAGUS

Season: spring

Weight: light–medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: blanch, boil, deepfry, grill, pan roast, simmer, steam, stir-fry

almonds

anchovies

artichokes

basil

bay leaf

beets

bread crumbs

butter, brown

BUTTER, UNSALTED

capers

caraway seeds

carrots

cayenne

CHEESE: chèvre, Fontina, goat, Muenster, PARMESAN, PECORINO, ricotta, Romano

chervil

chives

crab

cream, heavy

crème fraîche

dill

EGGS AND EGG DISHES (e.g., coddled, hard-boiled omelets)

fava beans

French cuisine

garlic

ginger

ham

hollandaise sauce

Italian cuisine

leeks

LEMON: JUICE, ZEST

lemon thyme

lime, juice

lobster

Marsala wine

mascarpone

mayonnaise

mushrooms, esp. cremini, morels, shiitakes

mustard, Dijon

oil: hazelnut, peanut, sesame, truffle

OLIVE OIL

onions, esp. spring, yellow

orange

oysters

pancetta

parsley, flat-leaf

pasta

peas

PEPPER: BLACK, WHITE

peppers, piquillo

Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Morels, and Pine Nuts
—Dan Barber, Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)

Asparagus and Ricotta “Mezzalune” with Spring Onion Butter
—Mario Batali, Babbo (New York City)

Salad of Sacramento Delta Green Asparagus, Spring Garlic, Marinated Sweet Peppers, with Young Arugula and Yellow Pepper Gastrique
—Thomas Keller, The French Laundry (Yountville, California)

Warm Salad of Sacramento Delta Green Asparagus, Melted Cipollini Onion Rings, Soft-Boiled Hen Egg, and Country Bread Croutons
—Thomas Keller, The French Laundry (Yountville, California)

Green Asparagus Soup with Gyromitre Mushrooms and Soft-Poached Farm Egg
—Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern (New York City)

Warm Salad of Grilled Asparagus and Prawns with a Sherry Vinaigrette
—Patrick O’Connell, The Inn at Little Washington (Washington, Virginia)

Vegetarian Sushi: Asparagus and Roasted Bell Pepper Roll
—Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro (Washington, DC)

Asparagus and Morel Mushroom Salad: Pancetta, Fiddlehead Ferns, Vermont Shepherd Cheese, and a Mushroom Reduction
—Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar and Grill (New York City)

Terrine of Green and White Asparagus, Roasted Beet Root Salad, Asparagus Juices
—Rick Tramonto, Tru (Chicago)

Flavor Affinities

asparagus + capers + ham + shrimp

asparagus + cayenne + lime

asparagus + chervil + chives + garlic + morel mushrooms + shallots

asparagus + crab + morel mushrooms + ramps

asparagus + garlic + ginger + sesame

asparagus + garlic + leeks + onions + potatoes

asparagus + goat cheese + mascarpone + thyme

asparagus + ham + morel mushrooms + Parmesan cheese

asparagus + lemon + olive oil + black pepper

asparagus + morel mushrooms + ramps

asparagus + Parmesan cheese + eggs

asparagus + Parmesan cheese + pancetta + vinaigrette

asparagus + prosciutto + goat cheese + chervil

Making and seasoning soup is one of the best ways to learn about flavor. Let’s make asparagus soup:

• You need a lot of asparagus flavor.

• You need acidity.

• You need sweetness that will come from the asparagus.

• You need the right amount of salt.

• You need just the right amount of spice, so that it doesn’t actually taste spicy. We use a lot of cayenne, but you would never know it is there; it is just an accent.

• You need fresh lime juice to finish.

Soup is a play of balance when you have a lot of flavor. You can add a lot of salt and it won’t taste salty. You can add a lot of acid and it won’t taste acidic. But you still have a bold-flavored soup. It’s like winemaking; at some point, there is a balance of all the flavors.

The first thing you need to do is get all the asparagus flavor into the soup at the start. We save our asparagus liquid from all the asparagus we cook to use for asparagus stock.

Making the soup: We sweat the asparagus [that is, cook it over low heat in a little fat, generally in a covered pot or pan] very slowly. When we add wine, we do it multiple times, adding a little at a time and reducing it, then repeating the process. What this does is concentrate the flavor at each step. It makes a big difference [before adding the asparagus liquid].

Finishing the soup: A soup may taste seasoned, but it still needs to be “woken up.” You taste the asparagus, but maybe it doesn’t blow you away at first. To do that, you need acid and cayenne. We season the soup with lime because it is a stronger acid and yet has less flavor than lemon. If I use lemon to get as much acid as I need for the soup, I will need to use so much that the soup will taste lemony instead.

ASPARAGUS, WHITE

Season: spring

Weight: light

Volume: quiet–moderate

Techniques: blanch, boil, sauté, steam

Tips: Covered to deprive it of sunlight while growing, white asparagus is lighter in flavor and texture than green asparagus.

butter

cheese, Parmesan

chicken

crab

eggs: whole, yolks

ham

hazelnuts

lemon

mushrooms (e.g., cepes, morels, porcini)

mustard

oil, truffle

olive oil

parsley

pepper, black

salt, sea

sauces: hollandaise, mayonnaise, romesco

shallots

vinegar: champagne, white

wine, Riesling

Flavor Affinities

white asparagus + hazelnuts + Parmesan cheese + truffle oil

white asparagus + lemon + cepes mushrooms + parsley

white asparagus + mustard + olive oil + vinegar

ASTRINGENCY

Taste: astringent

Function: cooling

apples (astringent-sweet)

artichokes

asparagus

bananas, unripe (astringentsweet)

basil

beans

berries

broccoli

buckwheat

cashews

cauliflower

coffee

cranberries

figs (astringent-sweet)

fruits: dried, raw, unripe

grapes (astringent-sour-sweet)

hazelnuts

herbs

honey

legumes

lentils

lettuce

mace

marjoram

okra

parsley

peaches (astringent-sweet)

pears (astringent-sweet)

persimmons

plums (astringent-sweet)

pomegranates (astringent-soursweet)

quinoa

rhubarb

rye

saffron

sprouts

tea

turmeric

turnips

vegetables, raw

walnuts

AUSTRALIAN CUISINE

barbecued foods

beef

cheese

fish

fruits, fresh

lamb

nuts, macadamia

seafood

shellfish, esp. shrimp

vegetables, fresh

wines

yabbies

NOTE: Akin to the “New American” cuisine that incorporates ingredients and techniques from around the world, “Mod Oz” (modern Australian) cuisine combines its British heritage with influences from other parts of Europe as well as Asia.

AUSTRIAN CUISINE

beer

cinnamon

coffee

cream

desserts

dumplings

goulash

marjoram

meat, esp. beef or pork

paprika

parsley

pastries

potatoes

schnitzel

soups, esp. with dumplings or noodles

stews

strudel

wine

AUTUMN

Weather: typically cool

Techniques: braise, glaze, roast

almonds (peak: October)

apples (peak: September–November)

artichokes (peak: September–October)

basil (peak: September)

beans (peak: September)

bell peppers (peak: September)

broccoli

broccoli rabe (peak: July–December)

Brussels sprouts (peak: November–February)

cakes, esp. served warm

cantaloupe (peak: June–September)

caramel

cardoons (peak: October)

cauliflower

celery root (peak: October–November)

chard (peak: June–December)

chestnuts (peak: October–November)

chile peppers

coconut (peak: October–November)

corn (peak: September)

cranberries (peak: September–December)

cucumbers (peak: September)

dates

duck

eggplant (peak: August–November)

fennel

figs (peak: September–October)

foie gras

garlic (peak: September)

gooseberries (peak: June–September)

grains

grapes (peak: September)

heavier dishes

huckleberries (peak: August–September)

kale (peak: November–January)

kohlrabi (peak: September–November)

lentils

lovage (peak: September–October)

lychee nuts (peak: September–November)

mushrooms: chanterelles (peak: April–October), porcini (peak: September–October)

nectarines (peak: July–September)

nuts

okra (peak: July–September)

oranges, blood (peak: November–February)

oysters (peak: September–April)

partridge (peak: November–December)

passion fruit (peak: November–February)

pears (peak: July–October)

peas (peak: June–September)

persimmons (peak: October–January)

pheasant (peak: October–December)

pistachios (peak: September)

plums (peak: July–October)

polenta

pomegranates (peak: October–December)

pumpkins (peak: September–December)

quinces (peak: October–December)

salsify (peak: November–January)

scallops

seeds, sunflower

spices, warming (e.g., black peppercorns, cayenne, cinnamon, chili powder, clove, cumin, mustard, etc.)

squash, winter (peak: October–December)

stuffing

sweetbreads

sweet potatoes (peak: November–January)

tomatoes (peak: September)

turkey

vinegar, red wine

walnuts

watermelon (peak: July–September)

yams (peak: November)

zucchini (peak: June–October)

The earthy flavors of autumn come together in our chanterelle mushroom and lentil soup with sautéed foie gras.
—HIRO SONE AND LISSA DOUMANI, TERRA (ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA)

In the autumn, I use walnut vinegar, which is red wine vinegar with macerated walnuts in it. It is great on a dish of sweetbreads and hazelnuts.
—ANDREW CARMELLINI, A VOCE (NEW YORK CITY)

When I think of autumn, I think of apples, pears, quince—which is so underrated—figs, and pumpkins.
I work with apples and pears, which you can start using in September, especially with the early apples like Gravenstein in the Bay Area. I try not to use pumpkin until close to Halloween, because no matter what you do with it, it will still taste like pumpkin. It’s not like berries or apples that you can do a thousand things with. As a pastry chef, if I serve pumpkin too soon, people will get sick of it—and if I take it off the menu, there is nothing to replace it with. So I try to wait so I don’t peak too early.
Figs are great for fall. The problem with figs is that there are not that many fig lovers out there. There are a lot more peach, chocolate, and apple lovers than there are fig lovers. When I make a fig dessert, I’ll pair it with a raspberry or late summer fruit so it’s more likely to meet with customer acceptance.
In the fall, I’ll make more cakes. Fall also turns into caramel season, and fall fruits work so well with caramel. I keep a lighter hand with caramel in the fall because it is being combined with fruit versus chocolate.
—EMILY LUCHETTI, FARALLON (SAN FRANCISCO)

Avocado and Grapefruit with Poppy Seed Dressing
—Ann Cashion, Cashion’s Eat Place (Washington, DC)

Creamy Avocado Pudding with Pink Grapefruit Reduction and Candied Zest
—Dominique and Cindy Duby, Wild Sweets (Vancouver)

AVOCADO OIL

(See Oil, Avocado)

AVOCADOS

Season: spring–summer

Botanical relatives: allspice, bay leaf

Weight: medium–heavy

Volume: quiet

Techniques: raw

Tips: Use to add richness to a dish.

arugula

bacon

basil and Thai basil

beans, black

bell peppers, esp. red

butter, unsalted

Central American cuisine

chayote

chervil

chicken

chile peppers: chipotle, jalapeño, serrano

chives

cilantro

corn and masa

crab

cream, heavy

crème fraîche

cucumbers

cumin

dashi

endive, esp. Belgian

fennel

fish

frisée

fruits, esp. tropical

garlic

grapefruit

guacamole (key ingredient)

jicama

lemon: juice, zest

LIME, JUICE

lobster

mangoes

mayonnaise

Mexican cuisine

oil, canola

olive oil

ONIONS, ESP. RED, spring, white

orange

parsley, flat-leaf

pepper: black, white

radishes

rocket

sake

salads, esp. green, seafood

salsa

SALT: KOSHER, SEA

sandwiches

scallions

shellfish (e.g., shrimp)

shrimp

smoked fish (e.g., trout)

soups

sour cream

Southwestern cuisine

soy sauce

spinach

stocks: chicken, vegetable

Tabasco sauce

tarragon

tequila

tomatillos

tomatoes

vinaigrette

VINEGAR: balsamic, cider, tarragon, white wine

walnuts, oil

yogurt

Flavor Affinities

avocado + bacon + scallions + tomatoes

avocado + basil + red onions + tomatoes + balsamic vinegar

avocado + chiles + cilantro + lime + black pepper + salt + scallions

avocado + cilantro + lime juice

avocado + crab + grapefruit + tomato

avocado + crème fraîche + grapefruit

avocado + endive + frisée + lemon juice + sea salt

avocado + jalapeño chiles + cilantro + cumin + garlic + lime + onion

avocado + lemon + smoked trout

Avocados are so rich that we always season them with a lot of fleur de sel and lemon juice, and toss them with frisée and endive. Avocados need something bitter for balance.
—SHARON HAGE, YORK STREET (DALLAS)

BACON

Taste: salty

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: broil, roast, sauté

aioli

avocados

beans (e.g., black, fava, green)

breakfast

butter, unsalted

greens (e.g., arugula)

mushrooms, esp. chanterelles

Flavor Affinities

bacon + arugula + egg + pork belly

bacon + chanterelle mushrooms + chicken + potatoes

bacon + chanterelle mushrooms + salmon + shallots

bacon + hard-boiled eggs + spinach + balsamic vinegar

bacon + lettuce + tomatoes

bacon + onions + vinegar

bacon + shallots + vinegar

bacon + spinach + winter squash

Bacon can be salt, fat, and/or smoke, depending on the bacon you choose. You can also play with its texture, depending on whether you are using pork belly or crispy bacon. It is wonderful with vegetables. The fat is delicious, so if you are braising onions in bacon fat, reduce that down, and add a little onion jus and vinegar, you have a great sauce. Bacon just brings another layer of flavor to the vegetables. My dish of Berkshire pork chop with scarlet turnips, roasted rhubarb, and smoked bacon with cherry-almond salsa seca represents the relationship between fat, salt, sugar, and acid; they are all there. The bacon brings complexity to the pork; the cherry brings acid balance; and the almond brings a different kind of fat with crunch. The almonds in the dish are marcona, and every tenth one is extremely bitter, which adds another layer of complexity.
—TRACI DES JARDINS, JARDINIÈRE (SAN FRANCISCO)

Braised Bacon with Spring Vegetables and White Horseradish Broth
—Dan Barber, Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)

Smoked Bacon and Egg Ice Cream with Pain Perdu, Tea Jelly
—Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck (England)

Berkshire Pork Chop with Scarlet Turnips, Roasted Rhubarb, and Smoked Bacon with Cherry-Almond Salsa Seca
—Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière (San Francisco)

BALANCE

Tips: Seek balance in every dish you make:

• tastes (e.g., sourness vs. saltiness; sweetness vs. bitterness)

• richness (e.g., fat) vs. relief (e.g., acidity, bitterness)

• temperatures (e.g., hot vs. cold)

• textures (e.g., creamy vs. crunchy)

Balance taste by adding its opposite or its complement.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

(See Vinegar, Balsamic)

Chocolate-Banana Flan, Exotic Fruit Jelly, Spiced Fritters, Faux Foie Gras Emulsion, and Cumin Gel
—Dominique and Cindy Duby, Wild Sweets (Vancouver)

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Bananas, Medjool Dates, Oatmeal Ice Cream, Root Beer Reduction
—Gale Gand, pastry chef, Tru (Chicago)

Banana-Coconut Split with Vanilla Ice Cream, Candied Coconut, Dulce de Leche, Fudge Sauce
—Emily Luchetti, pastry chef, Farallon (San Francisco)

Caramelized Banana Tart with Coconut Ice Cream
—Patrick O’Connell, The Inn at Little Washington (Washington, Virginia)

Banana Tempura with Black Raspberry Ice Cream
—Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro (Washington, DC)

Macadamia Nut Tart with Banana-Rum Ice Cream
—Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, Terra (St. Helena, California)

Banana-Toffee Tart
—Sandy D’Amato, Sanford (Milwaukee)

Banana Tempura with Mango Ice Cream
—Sushi-Ko (Washington, DC)

Banana Crème Brûlée, Citrus-Pistachio Biscuit, Beurre Noisette Ice Cream, Peanut Caramel
—Michael Laiskonis, pastry chef, Le Bernardin (New York City)

Caramelized Banana, Smoked Chocolate Ice Cream, Stout
—Sam Mason, wd-50 (New York City)

Dover Sole with “Mostly Traditional Flavors” and Sliced Banana
—Grant Achatz, Alinea (Chicago)

BANANAS

Season: winter

Taste: sweet, astringent

Function: cooling

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet

Techniques: bake, broil, caramelize, deep-fry, grill, poach, raw, sauté

Tips: Sugar enhances the flavor of bananas.

allspice

almonds

apricots

Armagnac

baked goods (e.g., muffins, quick breads)

banana liqueur

blackberries

blueberries

brandy

breakfast

butter, unsalted

buttermilk

butterscotch

cakes

Calvados

CARAMEL

cardamom

cashews

cherries

chile peppers: habanero, jalapeño, serrano

CHOCOLATE: dark, white

cinnamon

cloves

COCONUT AND COCONUT MILK

coffee

cognac

CREAM AND ICE CREAM

cream cheese

crème anglaise

crème fraîche

curries

custard

dates

desserts

figs, dried

ginger

guava

hazelnuts

honey

Kirsch

LEMON, JUICE

lemongrass

lime, juice

macadamia

mangoes: green, ripe

maple syrup

meringue

nutmeg

oats and oatmeal

oil, vegetable

orange

pancakes

papaya

parsley

passion fruit

peanuts and peanut butter

raspberries: red, black

SUGAR: BROWN, WHITE

A banana in a dessert is an instant sell. Everyone loves caramelized bananas!
—GINA DEPALMA, BABBO (NEW YORK CITY)

I hate overripe bananas. We’ll actually freeze whole, unpeeled bananas, which will continue to ripen in the freezer and turn black. When we want bananas to use as a puree, we’ll pull them out and let them thaw before pureeing, and then add them to a cake or mousse. The flavor is much better this way.
—DOMINIQUE DUBY, WILD SWEETS (VANCOUVER)

I serve a banana crème brûlée that is not made in ramekins (the usual individual serving cups) but cut out of a sheet pan and caramelized. I serve this set up in a grid with two squares of crème brûlée, one topped with a little citrus, the other with caramelized bananas—alternated with citrus biscuit, one topped with a brown butter ice cream, and the other with caramelized banana. So I have these three flavors—banana, citrus, and brown butter—tied together with a salted peanut–caramel sauce.
—MICHAEL LAISKONIS, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

A banana’s ripeness will determine what you do with it. I like my bananas yellow and firm. If you are going to make a bananas Foster and your bananas are very yellow, you can cook them longer and they won’t fall apart or turn to mush. If you start with a banana that is pretty brown, the second you add heat, it falls apart. A brown banana gives me shivers!
—EMILY LUCHETTI, FARALLON (SAN FRANCISCO)

Flavor Affinities

banana + blackberries + cream

banana + brown butter + caramel + citrus + peanuts

banana + caramel + chocolate

banana + caramel + crème fraîche + lemongrass

banana + coconut + cream

banana + cream + honey + macadamia nuts + vanilla

banana + cream + mango

banana + dates + oatmeal

banana + honey + sesame seeds

banana + macadamia nuts + rum

banana + oats + pecans

BARLEY

Taste: sweet, astringent

Function: cooling

Techniques: simmer

beef

butter

garlic

lemon thyme

mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions)

mushrooms: cultivated, wild (e.g., shiitakes)

olive oil

onions

oregano

parsley, flat-leaf

pepper, white

sage

salt, kosher

savory

scallions

soups

stocks: chicken, vegetable

thyme

tomatoes

vinegar, sherry

I use basil a lot. I will add it at the very end of cooking a dish, and it will totally change where the dish is going. Added at the last second, it gives a minty freshness that was not there before. Basil says “fresh” and “alive” to me. And although you can get it year-round, I associate it with summer.
I think particularly of fish and shellfish with basil. I cook a lobster with a sauce of sweet Muscat or Sauternes, curry, and lime. This is a dish that has been played with. The shells have been chopped up, added to mirepoix, and turned into sauce. Then there’s wine. So when the basil hits, you have this whole new thing going on. It opens up the dish and makes it light. It goes against the “worked-on” aspect of the dish.
In Thai cooking, you will find coconut milk–based curry that will have whole leaves of basil in it. Basil becomes something of a vegetable served this way.
—DAVID WALTUCK, CHANTERELLE (NEW YORK CITY)

I love basil in syrups. It works with strawberries and any citrus fruit. The trio I use the most for summer fruits like berries is basil, lemon, and vanilla. I have even macerated cherry tomatoes in this combination and made them into a fruit crisp.
—MICHAEL LAISKONIS, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

I love basil. It is more familiar than cilantro, and more people like it. I use it in ceviche instead of cilantro because it is not as pungent. I combine hamachi tuna with tomato, watermelon, yuzu, and sesame seeds with fresh basil and basil oil.
—KATSUYA FUKUSHIMA, MINIBAR (WASHINGTON, DC)

BASIL

(See also Basil, Thai, and Lemon Basil)

Season: summer

Taste: sweet

Weight: light, soft-leaved

Volume: mild–moderate

Tips: Add just before serving. Use to add a note of freshness to a dish.

apricots

Asian cuisine

beans: green, white

bell peppers, esp. red, roasted

berries

blueberries

breads

broccoli

Cambodian cuisine

capers

carrots

CHEESE: feta, goat, MOZZARELLA, PARMESAN, PECORINO, RICOTTA

chicken

chile peppers

chives

chocolate, white

cilantro

cinnamon

coconut milk

corn

crab

cream and ice cream

cucumber

custards

duck

eggplant

EGGS AND EGG DISHES (e.g., omelets)

fennel

fish, esp. grilled or poached

French cuisine

*GARLIC

ginger, fresh

honey

ITALIAN CUISINE

lamb

lemon, juice

lemon verbena

lime, juice

liver

marjoram

meats

Mediterranean cuisine

mint

mussels

mustard: powder, seeds

nectarines

OLIVE OIL

olives

onions

orange

oregano

Parmesan cheese

parsley, flat-leaf

PASTA DISHES AND SAUCES

peaches

peas

pepper: black, white

PESTO (key ingredient)

pineapple

pine nuts

pizza

pork

potatoes

poultry

rabbit

raspberries

rice

rosemary

salads and salad dressings

salmon

salt: kosher, sea

sauces

scallops

sea bass

shellfish

shrimp

soups, esp. Asian, bean, chowder, vegetable

Thai cuisine (e.g., green curries)

*TOMATOES and tomato sauces

vegetables, esp. summer

vanilla

veal

Vietnamese cuisine

vinaigrettes

vinegar: balsamic, sherry

watermelon

ZUCCHINI

AVOID

tarragon

Flavor Affinities

basil + coconut + curry

basil + garlic + olive oil + salt

basil + garlic + olive oil + Parmesan cheese + pine nuts

basil + hamachi tuna + tomatoes + watermelon

basil + lemon + vanilla

basil + mozzarella cheese + tomatoes

basil + olive oil + Parmesan cheese

BASIL, LEMON

(See Lemon Basil)

BASIL, THAI

Taste: anise- or licorice-like

Asian cuisines

beef

coconut milk

curries

ginger

lemongrass

noodles and noodle dishes

oils, esp. pumpkin seed

salads

seafood

soups, esp. Asian

Thai cuisine

vegetarian dishes

venison

I use this in lots of vegetarian dishes because it gives them some oomph. It also works well with meat dishes, from beef to carpaccio to venison. I make a Thai basil pesto but make a few adjustments to the recipe or else it can look bruised and take on a funky color. We will add a little pumpkin seed oil to keep it a deep, rich green.
—BRAD FARMERIE, PUBLIC (NEW YORK CITY)

Flavor Affinities

Thai basil + beef + pumpkin seed oil

Thai basil + coconut milk + ginger

BASS

(See also Bass, Sea, and Bass, Striped)

Weight: light

Volume: quiet

Techniques: bake, broil, deepfry, poach, roast, sauté, steam

artichoke

bay leaf

carrots

cayenne

celery

chervil

fennel

garlic

lemon

olive oil

onions

orange: juice, zest

parsley, flat-leaf

pepper: black, white

saffron

salmon

salt, sea

shallots

sole

star anise

stock, fish

tarragon

tomatoes and tomato paste

vanilla

wine, white

Black bass is a fish that can go with the most exotic flavors. We serve black bass with Peking duck, green papaya salad, and a very light, thin chutney sauce. I love Peking duck and find the flavor very soft and not “duck-y” or aggressive.
—ERIC RIPERT, LE BERNARDIN (NEW YORK CITY)

BASS, BLACK

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet

asparagus

basil

beets

butter

cabbage, savoy

carrots

celery

chestnuts

chile peppers, jalapeño

chives

chutney

cilantro

coriander

duck, Peking

parsley, flat-leaf

squash: hubbard, yellow

vinegar: champagne, red wine

wine: red, white

oil: canola, peanut, sesame

Flavor Affinities

black bass + chutney + papaya

black bass + new potatoes + shrimp

In my black sea bass in a tamarind-ginger sauce with minted baby onions dish, the tamarind is acidic, and ginger is a nice flavor bridge. I put mint in the onions to cut their sweetness.
—GABRIEL KREUTHER, THE MODERN (NEW YORK CITY)

Paupiette of Black Sea Bass in a Crisp Potato Shell, with Tender Leeks and Syrah Sauce
—Daniel Boulud, Daniel (New York City)

Sesame-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass with Baby Shrimp, Clams, and Artichokes
—Patrick O’Connell, The Inn at Little Washington (Washington, Virginia)

Black Bass with Porcini Mushrooms, Braised Parsnips, and Chestnuts
—David Pasternak, Esca (New York City)

Grilled Pacific Sea Bass for Two with Marinated Blood Orange and Lime
—David Pasternak, Esca (New York City)

Crisp Black Sea Bass with Olive-Caper Emulsion
—Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar and Grill (New York City)

Spice-Crusted Black Sea Bass in Sweet and Sour Jus
—Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean Georges (New York City)

BASS, SEA

Season: winter–spring

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet

Techniques: bake, broil, ceviche, deep-fry, grill, pan roast, poach, roast, sauté, steam

almonds

anchovies

artichokes

bacon

basil

bay leaf

beans, esp. green or white

beets

bell peppers: red, green

bread crumbs

BUTTER: clarified, salted, unsalted

capers

cardamom

carrots

cayenne

celery

chervil

chives

cilantro

citrus

coriander

corn

cream

crème fraîche

fennel

garlic, fresh

ginger, fresh

hazelnuts

honey

leeks

lemon: juice, zest

lemon, preserved

lentils

lime, juice

marjoram

mayonnaise

mint

mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions)

mirin

MUSHROOMS, esp. button, porcini, or shiitake

mustard, Dijon

new potatoes

onions: pearl, yellow

olives, black

potatoes, esp. as a crust, mashed

parsley, flat-leaf

PEPPER: black, white

sauces: beurre blanc, brown butter

spinach, esp. baby

star anise

stocks: chicken, fish, vegetable

TOMATOES: cherry, grape, juice, roasted

vanilla

vermouth

VINEGAR: champagne, red wine, rice, sherry, white wine

wine, dry white

yuzu juice

VINEGAR: champagne, red wine, sherry, white wine

Flavor Affinities

sea bass + artichokes + basil + chives + green beans + lemon + new potatoes

sea bass + bacon + corn + fava beans

sea bass + mushrooms + sesame seeds + shrimp

Striped bass is a hearty fish and is one of my favorites. I love roasting it with the skin on to a crisp, and finishing it with butter, garlic, and thyme. It’s a fish that pairs well with meat, whether bacon, sweetbreads, or braised pork.
—BRADFORD THOMPSON, MARY ELAINE’S AT THE PHOENICIAN (SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA)

Wild Carolina Coast Striped Bass “Riviera” with a Salad of Shaved Fennel, Arugula, and Babaganoush, Cured Tomatoes, Spanish Olives, and Yellow Pepper Broth
—Carrie Nahabedian, Naha (Chicago)

Roasted Local Wild Striped Bass with Hubbard Squash, Caramelized Apple, and Wild Mushrooms
—David Pasternak, Esca (New York City)

Poached Atlantic Striped Bass, Pasilla Chili, Cocoa, Duck Consommé
—Rick Tramonto, Tru (Chicago)

BASS, STRIPED

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet

Techniques: bake, braise, broil, deep-fry, grill, pan roast, poach, raw, roast, sauté, sear, steam

artichokes

bacon

bay leaf

beets

bell peppers: red, yellow

bok choy

butter: clarified, unsalted

buttermilk

calamari

carrots

cauliflower

cayenne

celery

chanterelles

chervil

chile peppers: dried, fresh (e.g., jalapeño)

chives

cilantro

clams

corn

cream

cucumber

curries and curry powder

dill

fava beans

fennel

fish sauce

garlic

ginger

hollandaise sauce

horseradish

leeks

lemon: juice, zest

lemon verbena

lime, juice

mint

monkfish

mushrooms, shiitake

mustard, Dijon

OIL: canola, peanut, sesame, vegetable

olive oil

olives, picholine

onions: pearl, red

orange

paprika, sweet

parsley, flat-leaf

PEPPER: BLACK, GREEN, WHITE

potatoes

prosciutto

rosemary

sage

SALT: KOSHER, SEA

stocks: fish, shellfish

walnuts

wine: port, dry white, Riesling

tomatoes and tomato sauces

Flavor Affinities

striped bass + bacon + sauerkraut

striped bass + bok choy + fish sauce

striped bass + clam broth + marjoram + spinach

striped bass + curry + sour cream

striped bass + fennel + olives + tomatoes

striped bass + garlic + lemon + thyme

striped bass + leeks + lemon juice + Dijon mustard

striped bass + leeks + shiitake mushrooms

I am a little too fond of bay leaf. I use it a lot. I probably have a fondness for it because I associate it with so many childhood flavors, like pot roast. It has a hearty quality to it and I associate it with stocks and big flavors. I will use fresh or dried bay leaf. Fresh bay leaf has fresher flavor and is surprisingly more intense than dried bay leaf, but it’s still not as dramatic a difference as you can find with other herbs when it comes to fresh versus dried.
—DAVID WALTUCK, CHANTERELLE (NEW YORK CITY)

Inexperienced cooks will throw a handful of bay leaves into 40 gallons of veal stock. What happens next is they go to make a sauce and can’t figure out what to do about the medicinal taste. It’s the bay leaf! I’ll explain they only need two or three at the most.
—CARRIE NAHABEDIAN, NAHA (CHICAGO)

BAY LEAF

Taste: sweet, bitter

Weight: light, tough-leaved

Volume: quiet–loud, depending on quantity used

Techniques: can stand up to cooking (e.g., simmer, stew)

allspice

apples

beans: dried, white

beef

braised dishes

caramel

cauliflower

celery leaf

cheese dishes

chestnuts

chicken

corn

cream and ice cream

custards

dates

desserts

duck

figs

fish

French cuisine

game

game birds

garlic

grains

juniper berries

lamb

lemon, juice

lentils

marinades

marjoram

meats

Mediterranean cuisine

mole sauce

Moroccan cuisine

onions

parsley

pâté

pears

pepper, black

polenta

pork

pot roast

potatoes

poultry

prunes

pumpkin

quail

rice (e.g., rice pudding) and risotto

rosemary

sage

salmon

sauces

sausage

squash: summer, winter

STEWS

STOCKS AND BROTHS

strawberries

swordfish

thyme

BEANS—IN GENERAL

(See also specific beans below)

carrots

celery

garlic

lemon

marjoram

mint

onions

PARSLEY

rosemary

sage

salt

*SAVORY

thyme

vinegar

BEANS, BLACK

Weight: medium–heavy

Volume: moderate

Techniques: simmer

allspice

apples

avocado

bacon

bay leaf

beer

bell peppers: green, red

butter

Carribbean cuisine

carrots

cayenne

celery

celery root

Central American cuisine

cheese: cheddar, dry feta, farmer’s, Parmesan, queso fresco, smoked

CHILE PEPPERS: ancho, cachuca, chipotle, jalapeño

chili powder, ancho

chives

CILANTRO

cream

crème fraîche

CUMIN

duck

egg, esp. hard-boiled

epazote

fennel seeds

GARLIC

ginger

ham and ham hocks

lemon

lime, juice

maple syrup

Mexican cuisine, esp. in the South

OIL: canola, olive, peanut, safflower, vegetable

olive oil

ONIONS: red, white, yellow

orange: fruit, juice, zest

oregano, dried

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF

pepper: black, white

red pepper flakes

rice

rosemary

salsa

SALT, ESP. KOSHER

salt pork

sausage

SAVORY

scallions

shallots

sherry

shrimp

soups

SOUR CREAM

South American cuisine

Southwestern cuisine

spinach

STOCKS: BEEF, CHICKEN, VEGETABLE

sugar: brown, white

Tabasco sauce

thyme

tomatoes and tomato paste

vinegar: cider, red wine, sherry, white wine

wine: Madeira, sherry

yogurt

Black Bean Soup Flavored with Grilled Wild Ramps, Avocado Leaf, and Cilantro, Studded with Sweet Roasted Chayote and Corn, Topped with Green Chile Salsa and Crispy Tortilla Strips
—Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill (Chicago)

Black Bean Tamales Filled with Homemade Goat Cheese in “Guisado” of Wild and Woodland Mushrooms, Organic Roasted Tomatoes, Green Chile, and Mint; Watercress Salad
—Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill (Chicago)

Black Beans Fried with Garlic, Onion, and Epazote, Topped with Mexican Fresh Cheese
—Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill (Chicago)

Flavor Affinities

black beans + cumin + green bell peppers + oregano

black beans + lemon + sherry

BEANS, BROAD

(See Beans, Fava)

BEANS, BUTTER

(See Beans, Lima)

BEANS, CANNELLINI

(See also Beans, White)

Weight: medium

Volume: quiet–moderate

Techniques: braise, puree, simmer

bacon

carrots

celery

clams

garlic

Italian cuisine

lamb

lemon

olive oil

onions, esp. Spanish

paprika, sweet

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF

pepper, black

saffron

salads

salt, kosher

sausages (e.g., chorizo)

SAVORY

soups

stock, chicken

tarragon

thyme

tomatoes, esp. plum

Cannellini Bean Soup with Smoked Trout Croquette and Pumpkin Seed Oil
—Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern (New York City)

BEANS, FAVA

(aka Broad Beans or Horse Beans)

Season: spring–summer

Taste: bitter

Weight: light–medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: boil, puree, simmer

Asian cuisine

bacon

basil butter, unsalted

CHEESE: dry feta, manchego, Parmesan, pecorino, ricotta, sheep’s milk

chile peppers

chives, fresh

cilantro

corn

cream

cumin

curry

dill

duck

falafel (key ingredient)

fennel

fish (e.g., salmon)

garlic

gnocchi

greens, bitter

ham

herbs

Italian cuisine

lamb

leeks

lemon, juice

lentils

lobster

Mediterranean cuisine

Mexican cuisine

Middle Eastern cuisine

mint (e.g., Italian cuisine)

Moroccan cuisine

OIL, walnut

OLIVE OIL

onions, esp. spring

orange, zest

oregano

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF

pasta

peas

pepper, black

poultry (e.g., turkey)

prosciutto

rabbit

radishes

salt: kosher, sea

SAVORY (e.g., as in French cuisine)

shellfish (e.g., lobster)

Fava beans have a great flavor. Cooks in the past would blanch them, and the flavor would be left in the water. Today, what I like to do with favas and other vegetables is to put them in a pan with a little water, olive oil, or butter, and to cover them while they cook. That way, all the flavor stays in the vegetables. If I could cook for my customers the way I like to cook and eat at home, I would sweat some spring onions in a pan with butter or oil, covered, to keep in the flavor. Then I’d add the shucked fava beans and let them cook with a little water. At the last second, I’d toss in some chopped parsley or basil, and there’s your sauce. This would be great under some fish. If you added some thyme and maybe a little lamb jus, it would also work with lamb.
—TRACI DES JARDINS, JARDINIÈRE (SAN FRANCISCO)

Fava beans have a very delicate flavor, I like them raw and tender by themselves—or combined with sheep’s milk cheese and olive oil. However, I wouldn’t use an olive oil that’s too peppery or spicy, because it would overwhelm them.
—TONY LIU, AUGUST (NEW YORK CITY)

Flavor Affinities

fava beans + basil + spring onions

fava beans + garlic + olive oil + rosemary

fava beans + lamb + thyme

fava beans + olive oil + pecorino cheese + prosciutto

fava beans + olive oil + thyme

fava beans + sheep’s milk cheese + olive oil

BEANS, FLAGEOLET

Weight: light–medium

Volume: quiet

Techniques: simmer

apples

arugula

basil

bay leaf

butter

carrots

cassoulet

celery

cheese, esp. manchego or pecorino

chicken

cream

fines herbes

fish (e.g., cod)

French cuisine, esp. Provençal

garlic

*LAMB

lemon, juice

lime

marjoram

olive oil

onions, esp. red, sweet, yellow

orange

PARSLEY

pasta

pepper, black

pork, esp. roasted

poultry

salads

salt

SAVORY

shallots

soups

stocks: chicken, vegetable

tarragon

thyme

tomatoes and tomato sauces

vinegar, red wine

wine, dry white

Flavor Affinities

flageolet beans + garlic + thyme

Pasta with Basil Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes
—Lidia Bastianich, Felidia (New York City)

BEANS, GARBANZO

(See Chickpeas)

BEANS, GREEN

Season: summer–autumn

Weight: light–medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: boil, grill, sauté, steam, stir-fry

almonds

anchovies

bacon

BASIL

CHEESE: Asiago, blue, feta, goat, PARMESAN

eggs, esp. hard-boiled

ham (e.g., Serrano)

Mediterranean cuisine

OIL: peanut, sesame

OLIVE OIL

olives: black, niçoise

ONIONS, esp. green, pearl, or red

VINEGAR: red wine, rice wine, sherry, tarragon, white wine

pancetta

paprika: smoked, sweet

walnuts

yogurt

Flavor Affinities

green beans + anchovies + garlic + Parmesan cheese + walnuts

green beans + mustard + prosciutto + vinaigrette + walnuts

BEANS, KIDNEY

Taste: sweet-astringent

Function: cooling

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: boil, simmer

bacon

bay leaf

bell pepper, esp. red

cardamom

carrots

cayenne

chile peppers: dried red, fresh green

chili

chorizo

cinnamon

cloves

coriander

cumin

curry leaves

garam masala

garlic

ginger

Indian cuisine

Italian cuisine, esp. Tuscan

olive oil

onions, esp. red, sweet, white

PARSLEY

pepper, black

pork

potatoes

saffron

salt

sauerkraut

SAVORY

thyme

tomatoes

turmeric

wine, red

BEANS, LIMA

Season: summer

Taste: bitter

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: simmer, steam

bacon

bay leaf

butter

Central American cuisine

chile peppers

cilantro

cream

cumin

curries

dill

fish

garlic

greens, bitter

ham and ham hocks

herbs

leeks

lemon, juice

mint

New England cuisine (e.g., succotash)

onions

Southern cuisine (American)

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF

pepper, ground

poultry, esp. chicken

shellfish (e.g., shrimp)

sorrel

soul food cuisine

spinach

steak

succotash (key ingredient)

tomatoes and tomato sauce

cheese: manchego, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano

vinegar

BEANS, NAVY

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: simmer

bacon

baked beans

basil

bay leaf

cayenne

cheese: Parmesan, ricotta

chili powder

garlic

ketchup

molasses

mustard: Dijon, yellow

olive oil

ONIONS, ESP. YELLOW

PARSLEY

pasta

pepper

salads

salt, kosher

SAVORY

soups

sugar, brown

thyme

tomatoes

vinegar, red wine

BEANS, PINTO

Season: winter

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: refry, simmer

bacon

cheese: feta, queso fresco

chile peppers: chipotle, jalapeño, poblano, serrano

chili

cilantro

cumin

epazote

garlic

Mexican cuisine, esp. northern

mint

oil: safflower, vegetable

onions, white

oregano, dried

paprika

PARSLEY

pork

refried beans (key ingredient)

SALT

SAVORY

scallions

sour cream

Southwestern cuisine

tequila

tomatoes

Flavor Affinities

pinto beans + bacon + poblano chiles + tomatoes

BEANS, RED

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

Techniques: simmer

bell peppers, esp. green

chile peppers

chili (key ingredient)

chorizo

garlic

Mexican cuisine

olive oil

onions

PARSLEY

pork

sausage

SAVORY

Southwestern cuisine

stews

A Latin Cassoulet of White Beans, Sausages, Smoked Bacon, and Kale Braised Slowly in the Wood-Burning Oven, with Spicy Sauce and Rice
—Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama (Hoboken, New Jersey)

Soup: White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil
—Judy Rodgers, Zuni Café (San Francisco)

BEANS, WHITE

(e.g., Cannellini, Navy)

Season: winter

Weight: medium

Volume: moderate

ale or beer, dark

ancho chili powder

apricots, dried

arugula

bacon

basil

bay leaf

bouquet garni

bourbon

broccoli rabe

butter, unsalted

carrots

celery

mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions)

ONIONS (e.g., cipollini, red, sweet)

PARSLEY, FLAT-LEAF

pasta

PEPPER: black, white

SALT: KOSHER, SEA

stocks: chicken, vegetable

sugar, brown

tarragon

thyme

tomatoes and tomato paste

truffles

vinegar: balsamic, cider, red wine

wine, dry white

Flavor Affinities

white beans + olive oil + pecorino cheese

white beans + olive oil + rosemary + balsamic vinegar

white beans + broccoli rabe + wild mushrooms

“Brasato al Barolo” Braised Beef with Porcini Mushrooms
—Mario Batali, Babbo (New York City)

Mochomos: Crispy, Crunchy Shredded Montana Natural Beef with Crispy White Onion Strings, Guacamole, Spicy Chile Salsa, and Warm Tortillas for Making Soft Tacos
—Rick Bayless, Topolobampo (Chicago)

Balsamic-Caramel Beef Cubes with Sticky Rice and Toasted Coconut
—Monica Pope, T’afia (Houston)

Chateaubriand, Wild Mushrooms, Porcini-Flavored Diced Yukon Gold Potatoes, Syrah Sauce
—Michel Richard, Citronelle (Washington, DC)

Ground Beef with Cream and Fenugreek on Yucca
—Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala, Vij’s (Vancouver)

BEEF—IN GENERAL

Taste: sweet

Function: heating

Weight: medium–heavy

Volume: moderate

Techniques: See also individual cuts of beef.

Tips: Clove adds richness to beef.

allspice

bacon

basil

bay leaf

beans, green

béarnaise sauce

beer

bouquet garni

brandy

butter, unsalted

capers

carrots

cayenne

celery

cheese, blue (e.g., Cabrales)

chiles, esp. dried and pasilla

chives

chocolate and cocoa powder

cilantro

cinnamon

cloves

coffee and espresso

cognac

coriander

corn

cornichons

cream

cumin

curry

fat: chicken, goose

foie gras

GARLIC

ginger

herbs

horseradish

hyssop

leeks

marrow, beef

mint

miso, red

mushrooms, esp. porcini or shiitake

mustard, Dijon

oil: canola, sesame

ONIONS: green, red, Spanish, yellow

orange

salt: fleur de sel, kosher

parsley, flat-leaf

PEPPER: BLACK, white

shallots

soy sauce

spinach (accompaniment)

stocks: beef, chicken, veal

sugar (pinch)

tarragon

tomatoes and tomato paste

truffles

turnips

vinaigrette

vinegar: cider, red wine, rice wine, sherry, tarragon

wine: red (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), Madeira