Go beyond recipes in this groundbreaking and bestselling guide to elevating elemental ingredients to make delicious dishes that hit all the right notes, every time. From Nik Sharma, author of
Season
and
Veg-table
, host of America's Test Kitchen's
Flavor Forward
, and winner of the 2023 IACP Trailblazer Award.
"
The Flavor Equation
deserves space on the shelf right next to
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
as a titan of the how-and-why brigade."—
The New Yorker
Aroma, texture, sound, emotion—these are just a few of the elements that play into our perceptions of flavor. In a completely unique and accessible way, Nik Sharma takes readers on an in-depth exploration into the science of taste and demonstrates how to convert approachable spices, herbs, and commonplace pantry items into tasty, simple dishes.
With more than 100 recipes paired with illustrations, anecdotes, and Sharma's evocative, trademark food photography and styling,
is a knockout volume that provides inspiration and essential knowledge to both home cooks and seasoned chefs.
Recipes, divided into seven sections, include:
Brightness: Lemon-Lime Mintade
Bitterness: Chocolate Miso Bread Pudding
Saltiness: Roasted Tomato and Tamarind Soup
Sweetness: Honey Turmeric Chicken Kebabs with Pineapple
Savoriness: Blistered Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes
Fieriness: Chicken Lollipops
Richness: Coconut Milk Cake
A cookbook that offers a new way of looking at food, this is the perfect gift or self-purchase for home cooks who are interested in the science of food and flavor.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM: Named one of the Best Fall Cookbooks upon its release by
The New York Times
,
Eater
Epicurious, Food & Wine
Forbes
Saveur
Serious Eats
The Smithsonian
The San Francisco Chronicle
The Los Angeles Times
The Boston Globe
The Chicago Tribune
CNN Travel
The Kitchn
Chowhound
, and NPR. Winner of The Guild of U.K. Food Writers (General Cookbook) and finalist for the 2021 IACP Cookbook Award.
HAILED BY CULINARY SUPERSTARS: Yotam Ottolenghi calls
"deep and illuminating, fresh and highly informative … a most brilliant achievement." J. Kenji López-Alt proclaims it "a beautiful and intelligent book." Nigella Lawson calls it "original, thought-provoking, and illuminating. It is a book that will change the way you think about food and cooking, and will help to make all your other cookbooks make sense."
FOR BEGINNERS & SEASONED HOME COOKS: The science of flavor is made accessible to every reader in these pages, with more in-depth information offered in a comprehensive appendix. Sharma dives deep into the most basic of our pantry items—salts, oils, sugars, vinegars, citrus, peppers, and more—artfully explaining the science behind why each flavor component works.
Perfect for:
Home cooks who want to learn more about food and flavor
Those interested in the science of food
Birthday, holiday, housewarming, or graduation gift for food enthusiasts
Readers of
Lucky Peach
Indian-Ish
, and
Koreatown
Add it to the shelf with cookbooks like
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
;
Ottolenghi Flavor: A Cookbook
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
; and
On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen