flavors and smells...

I love to cook.

I love to bake.

I hate chemistry.

How could I be interested in baking, cooking, molecular gastronomy, the kitchen sciences with my last statement? I do not know, but what I know is, where my old chemistry teacher is not present, everything that happens to me in the kitchen, is an experiment, a series of beautiful experiments waiting to be blogged and reported about.

Baking, needs more precision. More attention to details. More commitment.

The norm would be, with natrium bicarbonate ( hehehehe, baking soda) , the effect on the cake would be this, with more baking powder, bah blah blah...Is that not science? I never knew I would actually love chemistry! How could anyone not love it? Different ingredients, different effect, this is only physical part.O yes, cooking and baking is extremely emotional! Why do you think chefs get pissed and upset in the kitchen?

Cooking on the other hand, for me in particular, is loosely based on precision and meticulousness, but relies heavily on experiences and intuitions.

Experiences.

I am a Malay. Foods that are introduced to me as a child are of course predominantly Malay food, but I forgot to mention I am a lucky Malay.

My parents, particularly my Dad is an adventurous eater. I have had ox tongue simmered in butter for as long as I can remember, a dish that my Tok Mak ( my late grandmother, excellent cook) used to prepare for my Dad when he was a child, later prepared by my mum ( excellent cook number 2) when I was a child now prepared by my self as an adult (cook and baker). Tongues, French right? I did say I am a lucky girl. To be able to taste some weird foods Andrew Zimmern ate, but to think its delicious and to know Mr. Bourdain's favorite food is not to my liking?

Experiences are important, because it will give u a bench mark for how a food is supposed to taste like. I mean, if I had not had Moroccan food before, would I be able to make a Moroccan lamb stew or a chic pea dip?

Yes, technically, it is possible with the help of millions of books printed yearly worldwide. Wow, it does look like how it is in the picture, but would I know if its supposed to taste that way?

By experiencing the foods from restaurants, street vendors or shops, I would have the taste , the smell, the color , the texture and the whole dish in my fond memories ( could be in my most tortured memories too, hehehe)


What about the combination of flavors? This is where the best things happen. I mean, how dull the kitchen would be without the marriage of flavors! For instance,different spice mixes, gives different aromas and taste to the end product. You add to much saffron to a biryani the whole smell, the meaty smell ( say lamb biryani) the smell of the basmathi ( long grain rice, used in cooking pilafs and biryanis) will just collapse.


I cannot capture the title of my blog, as both elements are subjective, and only known to oneself. What could be an element of your nightmare as foodie, could trigger me as a fond memory.