I have often wondered where a thread on how tobacco smoking effects a
professional cooks ability to discern flavors would go. I am continually
amazed how many professional cooks smoke tobacco. Sure, I know you'll not
likely find a regular break without a cigarette habit to claim, but hey.
LOL

"raymond" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 12:58:15 -0700, thoff > wrote:
>
> >I was wondering if there was a way
> >to get the most taste of food? I found
> >lots of descriptions of how we taste,
> >but nothing on trying to optimize tasting.
> >
> Optimize the food. If it's a cold dish, make sure it's served cold.
> Hot dish, serve it hot, but serve either at the right level of heat
> and cold, so you don't burn your mouth on out-of-the-oven pizza, for
> example. Most (not all) pies and cakes, though they might be stored
> refrigerated, are tastiest served at room temperature, other desserts
> best served cold, frozen, warm, etc. Nothing tempers the taste buds
> like a dish served at the incorrect temperature, and it can ruin the
> best of recipes. Whether I'm serving company or just my wife and me,
> I warm plates for hot dishes, refrigerate them for cool ones,
> otherwise the food assumes the temperature of the plate before it's
> even served, and that lessens the enjoyment. Some dishes I assemble
> at the table, like strawberry shortcake (room temperature cake, just
> cool berries, cold whipped cream) or cherries jubilee (ice cream and
> flamed cherries). Assembling them ahead of time and storing it all in
> the fridge ruins these desserts. And if there's a mix of hot and
> cold, such as hot barbecue and cold potato salad, I serve them on
> separate plates, heated and cooled accordingly. Lot of trouble,
> sometimes, but I think it's worth it all.
>
>