Building Flavor
Seasoning & Balance
tasting as you go and making it sing.
Haley’s walkthrough is coming soon
She’s filming a short video for this one. Until then, her notes below have you covered.
Seasoning is the difference between flat and alive. The habit to build is tasting as you go and adjusting in small steps.
Do this
- Salt in layers, a little at each stage, instead of all at the end.
- Taste constantly, and when something is dull, reach for salt or a squeeze of acid first.
- Balance the five: salt, acid, sweet, fat, and heat. If a dish feels off, one of them is missing.
Watch out for
- Do not season only at the table. Salt does its best work while the food cooks.
- Do not add a lot at once. You can always add more, but you cannot take it out.
- Do not forget acid. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar wakes up almost anything.
Remember
Taste, then adjust. Salt and acid fix more than you would think.
Recipes that build this skill
Ready to practice?
The fastest way to learn seasoning & balance is to cook it. Make something, tap “I Made It,” and watch this skill grow on your journey.