TD 1
WORDS Cúán Greene PHOTO Micheile syrup. I tasted
the condiments in that order and each syrup tasted sweet. When I reversed the order, tasting the honey after the golden syrup and the chicory syrup after the honey, I could barely taste any sweetness coming from them. The golden syrup unpleasantly dominated, carrying over pronounced waves of sweetness that could induce a headache. My mouth was overwhelmed. The sweetness in the honey and even more so in the chicory syrup had been nullified and all I was getting was bitterness. This taste test really made it clear that when bitterness is paired with sweetness, there are two results: 1. The sweetness is diminished. 2. The bitterness (otherwise overpowering) is integrated. It’s quite a striking realisation. Honey and chicory syrup are both sweet and bitter syrups, but not evidently so; it’s a result of nature’s natural balancing act. Why the bitterness? Jennifer McLagan, the chef and author of the cookbook Bitter, defends bitterness as a taste. She states that, “In the kitchen, eschewing bitter is like cooking without salt, or eating without looking. Without bitterness we lose a way to balance sweetness, and by rejecting it we limit our range of flavours. Food without bitterness lacks depth and complexity.’’ If bitterness is an essential part of achieving balanced cooking, why do we operate under the belief that bitterness is vulgar? For many, the natural human reaction to bitterness is one of distaste. At some point in our evolution we learnt to decipher what foods were safe to eat. Many toxic plants are bitter and so bitterness was an indicator that a plant carried harmful toxins or poisons. However not all. Many of the wild plants available to eat are not toxic but carry bitterness. What allowed us to unearth these and cultivate them was our risk-taking nature. As a species, human beings actually enjoy a challenge, a thrill and a slight hint of danger. This might explain our childhood love for the taste game. Over the last couple of decades, bitterness has been disappearing from our diet, particularly in the western world. Bitter foods such as kale, sprouts, grapefruit and broccoli contain phytonutrients (phyto means plant in Latin) which promote numerous health benefits. Since the ’90’s however, we have been producing milder Brussels Sprouts, sweet grapefruits and chicory that is more palatable. Over time, we crossbred these species, creating entirely new crossbreeds of our own. More palatable = more marketable. But that’s not where it ends. Scientists have found ways of removing the bitter compounds found within these bitter tasting foods for wider appeal. These plant breeders can now measure how much of a particular compound within the plant they have removed. By removing the naringin in grapefruit juice, you can eliminate 78% of the bitter flavour from it. Likewise, the chicory plant contains high quantities of bitter compounds known as terpenes which can also be removed. Considering there are over 5000 known vita nutrients which are mostly bitter, I can’t help but wonder what impact this is having on our health. To the bitter end Step outside of the Anglosphere and you will find a plethora of cultures that continue to embrace bitterness. In India, great reverence is placed on the Bitter Gourd or Karela, a knobbly cucumber shaped vegetable, that looks well on its way to transforming into a lizard. A slight taste of this vegetable is enough to have you wincing, but when paired appropriately, with a unique blend of spices, coconut or jaggery (a sweet sugar), the result is well balanced. Cime di rapa or Puntarelle are bitter green vegetables typical to Italy and are strikingly bitter and often astringent. What I find remarkable within Italian culture and cuisine is that dishes conjured with these ingredients make no attempt in covering up the bitterness. Void of sweetness, typically they are paired with olive oil, toasted breadcrumbs, lemon zest and anchovies. The result is unapologetically bitter, undoubtedly delicious and simply nutritious. The venerable Italians have recognised this for millennia, not just in the form of food. Many apéritif and digestif beverages derive from Italy. They were originally used for medicinal purposes as an alcoholic herbal remedy. Alongside apéritifs and digestifs, beer and coffee also carry bitterness which is achieved through the extraction of compounds found in plants. Hops, ground ivy and botanicals are all impossibly bitter alone, but when brewed and distilled in harmony with grain, other complementary botanicals or spices, true chemistry is achieved. Subsequently, citrus flavours can be perceived, such as in a grapefruit IPA, where our taste receptors detect Alkaloid molecules also found in grapefruit! Sommeliers will tell you to opt for a glass of sparkling wine to encourage appetite, but what many don’t know is that bitterness is the perfect start to your meal. It cleanses the palate, stimulates the digestive system and improves the absorption of food. For that reason, it’s also an ideal way to end a meal. To quote Jennifer McLagan once more, “It’s worth trying to imagine bitter as a personality: cultured, intriguing and sophisticated, with a dangerous side. Who could be more fun to cook or to dine with?” Yet, even in restaurants in Ireland, bitterness seldom gets any credit. A single bitter salad served alone will get few plaudits. Truth be told, for the most part, chefs don’t understand that you can use bitterness in a dish without it tasting bitter. However, omit the bitterness and you risk losing balance in the dish or even worse, an entire meal. What’s so intriguing about bitterness is that you don’t miss it until it’s gone! Learning to balance bitterness is not only paying homage to our past, but a transcendental act in preserving the true essence of taste. And so, while nipping your garden dandelions in the bud may solve your weed problem, placing them in your salad can help reset your palate. Orwell Road A new local restaurant in Rathgar Now open at 8 Orwell Road is the latest restaurant creation by Marc and Conor Bereen. Together with Chef Dan Hannigan, they have created a modern Irish restaurant, offering casual fine dining, with one aim – everything must be delicious. Orwell Road aspires to use as many local, Irish producers and ingredients as possible. Only sourcing from further afield when an Irish alternative is not available. Conor Bereen designed Orwell Road as a contemporary local restaurant. As with sister restaurant Charlotte Quay, the result is a bright, crisp, fresh space with lots of comfort and warmth. The glass panelled frontage inspired various design elements throughout the interior with the sea green Venetian plastered walls adding depth and texture . This is a space that lends itself well to convivial eating, and while stylish and elegant, the focus is on what’s important – the food! Orwell Road 8 Orwell Road, D02 Y973 www.orwellroad.com • E:info@orwellroad.com +353 1 561 0889 • instagram.com/orwellroad/ Opening Hours: Monday/Tuesday - Closed Wednesday/Thursday/Friday & Sunday - 5pm–10pm Saturday 12pm–3pm Cúán Greene is a chef and author of the Ómós Digest Newsletter. This is an edit of a post which is available at omos.substack.com 41