Find Your Flavor: Bitter
Try not to feel bitter towards bitter flavors!
Have you ever noticed that small children tend to favor sweet foods? When we are young, our natural instincts tell us that bitter foods are inedible and dangerous. However, over time humans have been able to overcome the fact that bitter food signifies danger and have learned to enjoy it!
Some foods that have a bitter taste include:
- Arugula
- Horseradish
- Coffee
- Ginger
- Radicchio
- Broccoli rabe
- Kale
- Endive
One benefit of these bitter foods is that many of the greens that have a bitter taste are packed with vitamins and minerals that are a key to staying healthy. If a food is too bitter one way to balance the flavor is to add salt or sugar- think candied ginger. Also, if a food is too sweet a good way to balance is by adding bitter foods like chocolate covered espresso beans. Here are a few more examples of how bitter foods are balanced by other tastes:
- Arugula salads with dried fruits
- Coffee with cream and sugar
- Horseradish sauce with sour cream
- Kale salad with candied nuts
What are your favorite ways to enjoy bitter foods?