Crunch against creamy
Your mouth notices crunch, creaminess and chew as well as taste. Creamy soup with crunchy croutons, or soft yogurt with crisp granola, gives you a different texture in each bite. One texture all the way through feels flat.
Keep crunchy food crunchy
Crisp food goes soft within minutes once it touches moisture. Add toppings just before serving and keep sauce off the crisp parts. Cool fried food on a wire rack, because a flat plate traps steam under the food and the bottom turns soggy.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
A smooth butternut soup gets boring after a few spoonfuls. What adds the most?
Toasted seeds or croutons on top. Crunchy pieces contrast with the smooth soup, so each spoonful feels different.
True or false: Breadcrumbs toasted in butter add crunch to a soft dish like mac and cheese.
True. Toasting dries and browns crumbs, which gives crunch and a nutty taste.
What went wrong? You put croutons on hot soup in the kitchen, then carry the bowls out. By the time they're served, the croutons are soggy.
The croutons sat in the hot soup too long. Hot liquid softens bread quickly, so croutons should be added at the table.
Fill the blank: Fried food stays crisp on a wire ___ because air can reach the bottom.
Fried food stays crisp on a wire rack because air can reach the bottom. Air flows under the food, so steam cannot soften the bottom.
You toast almonds at 175°C (350°F) for 8 minutes. Why do they taste better?
They brown and dry out, so the flavor deepens and they crunch. Browning builds new flavor, and drying makes the nuts crisp.
