Replicating the Flavors of Cooking

A concept that has long interested me is the seamless replication of cooking processes—caramelization, smoking, barbecuing, etc.—via astute flavor science. One process that hadn’t entered into my thoughts along those lines was blackening, something that combines both the right spice and a high-heat stovetop pan sear to provide spicy, uniquely smoky and caramelized notes in a food.

Well, yesterday I found myself up just south of Milwaukee in the culinary confines of Wixon where the resident chef, Judson McLester presented a Cajun-influenced lunch that featured a side of blackened beans—a nice complement to the Tabasco-accented andouille-style sausage, umami-rich jalapeño creamed corn and rice. Quite a nice way to start the afternoon. (On assignment there for a story forthcoming in the Sept. issue of CULINOLOGY magazine.)

We recently dug into the replication of barbecue flavors with a nice piece that will run in our July issue of Food Product Design. Also, we’ll explore this topic in more depth at the end of the year in the December issue of CULINOLOGY. Stay tuned for that one—it’s bound to pique your mental taste buds.