The channel has pushed me to learn — especially through the complex braising videos. (There are only so many times I can shout “Maillard Reaction!” while searing a steak.)
First, it made me think about what each ingredient actually brings to the table. Who knew onions were sweet, when merely slicing them brings out a flood of tears?
Then, it made me question why we do each step — the most revealing being how the evaporation of water changes flavour.
Not long ago, perhaps running out of talking points, I started obsessing over what dissolves in what. No matter how long you boil a prawn or a carrot, the water will never turn red — not even orange. If that’s true for colour, imagine what it means for flavour. This changed how I think about fat skimming — suddenly, when you do it matters.
The “when” led me to my next lesson: heat sensitivity. There were early signs from my love of makrut lime leaves. Throw them into a simmering soup or a braise and the kitchen floods with freshness, so strong it’s almost tangible — yet five minutes later, it’s gone. I realised there are ingredients you add off the heat, but I hadn’t asked that question of everything: what do I want from it, and how do I best get it?
Garlic is perhaps the clearest example — with heat and time it moves from tear-inducing pungency to deep caramel sweetness.
Yesterday’s video demonstrates this principle with lemongrass and galangal (you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/2ZqWX9kTygo), but I encourage you to apply it to all aromatics — even tried-and-tested combinations like mirepoix. Why must they always go in together? Maybe they don’t. Maybe it’s time to update my Ultimate Bolognese.
W2 KITCHEN
Rethinking Aromatics — Why Timing Matters
The channel has pushed me to learn — especially through the complex braising videos. (There are only so many times I can shout “Maillard Reaction!” while searing a steak.)
First, it made me think about what each ingredient actually brings to the table. Who knew onions were sweet, when merely slicing them brings out a flood of tears?
Then, it made me question why we do each step — the most revealing being how the evaporation of water changes flavour.
Not long ago, perhaps running out of talking points, I started obsessing over what dissolves in what. No matter how long you boil a prawn or a carrot, the water will never turn red — not even orange. If that’s true for colour, imagine what it means for flavour. This changed how I think about fat skimming — suddenly, when you do it matters.
The “when” led me to my next lesson: heat sensitivity. There were early signs from my love of makrut lime leaves. Throw them into a simmering soup or a braise and the kitchen floods with freshness, so strong it’s almost tangible — yet five minutes later, it’s gone. I realised there are ingredients you add off the heat, but I hadn’t asked that question of everything: what do I want from it, and how do I best get it?
Garlic is perhaps the clearest example — with heat and time it moves from tear-inducing pungency to deep caramel sweetness.
Yesterday’s video demonstrates this principle with lemongrass and galangal (you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/2ZqWX9kTygo), but I encourage you to apply it to all aromatics — even tried-and-tested combinations like mirepoix. Why must they always go in together? Maybe they don’t. Maybe it’s time to update my Ultimate Bolognese.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 35