Excellent flavor combinations

[Wendy DeBord]

Theres so many times I wish I had a list of great flavor combo's in my recipe file. I'll read a thread where someone goes off on a riff of great combos. If I don't print it out when I read it, I loose the info.. Because you can't do a search on this topic because it could be in hundreds of threads...forcing you to read thru the whole Forum.

Soooo I was wondering if we could work together as a group?. When you see a some flavor combinations that look really good, would you post a link to it in this thread or copy and paste the combo's here?

The idea is, anyone could print out this page and have a great list of combinations as a handy reference tool.

[Lesley C]

OK, I'll get the ball rolling...chocolate and vanilla.

On a more serious note...

pistachio and cherry

chocolate and passion fruit

rum and praline

white chocolate and bitter orange

peanut and gingerbread

and, who could forget the classic pear and caramel

Edited December 12, 2005 by Lesley C (log)

[Ling]

-dark chocolate + beet

-dark chocolate + banana + dark rum

-dark chocolate + apricot

-dark chocolate + candied ginger

-dark chocolate + ancho chili + cinnamon

-dark chocolate + cashew + fleur de sel

-dark chocolate + lemon (not a personal favourite, but I've seen it done)

-dark chocolate + raspberry

-dark chocolate + pumpkin + pumpkin seed brittle

-dark chocolate + coffee

-dark chocolate + burnt caramel

-dark chocolate + allspice + fivespice

-dark chocolate + lavender

-dark chocolate + crunchy, salted peanut butter

-dark chocolate + tangerine

-dark chocolate + cherry + kirsch + almond

-milk chocolate + honey

-milk chocolate + rice krispies (not a flavour, really...)

-milk chocolate + almond

-white chocolate + any berry

-white chocolate + pumpkin

-white chocolate + chai

-white chocolate + persimmon

-white chocolate + kumquat + cranberry

-ginger + cardamon + cinnamon

-pistachio + cranberry

-pear/quince + port + blue cheese

-eggnog + gingerbread + pear

-blue cheese + fig + balsamic

-balsamic + strawberry

-coconut + macadamia + pineapple

-mango + lychee

-pink peppercorn + rhubarb + blue cheese

-manchego + sherry

-bourbon + pecan + maple syrup

-lemon + thyme or rosemary

-almond (or marzipan) + pear

-ricotta (or any mild, soft cheese) + strawberry + balsamic

-raisin + cinnamon

-rosewater + saffron

-chestnut + caramel

-butternut squash + marscapone

-coconut + cashew or macadamia

-kaffir lime + coconut

-matcha + sesame

-browned butter + any nut + chocolate caramel

-buttermilk + blueberry

Edited December 12, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Badiane]

Ling, is that a list of stuff you ate over the weekend?

You should print that on laminated cards and send them to all the chefs you know in a Christmas card.

I have to find some bitter oranges...I just had a vision of white chocolate cups with bitter orange filling.

[Ling]

^haha...I can think of some more but I'll post again tonight or in a few days--I'm hogging the thread!

[Wendy DeBord]

Auesome start!

[ludja]

Nice start so far!

Austrian-inspired:

chesnut, vanilla and rum

chestnut and dark chocolate, with or without rum

hazlenuts and dark chocolate

lemon, rum and vanilla

walnuts, lemon, rum, vanilla

walnuts, dark chocoalte and rum

apricot jam and dark chocolate

hazelnuts or walnuts and apricot or raspberry jam

ground poppyseeds, (raisins), lemon. vanilla

caramel and dark chocolate

anise and lemon and vanilla

Other:

mexican chocolate flavors:

chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, alnonds (plus or minus orange zest) and (plus or minus chile)

peach and habenero chile

apple and New Mexico green chile

cherries and chipotle chiles

(this are inspired by the pie man in Albuquerque--I've tried the peach combination but can also definately picture the cherry being good as well)

coconut and lime

coconut, dark chocolate (and plus or minus cinnamon)

lemon, almonds and vanilla

almonds and kirsch

fresh figs and raspberries and anise

Vanilla by itself!!!

Edited December 12, 2005 by ludja (log)

[sanrensho]

Does anyone have any suggestions for combos with lemon specifically? TIA

Lemon + almond

Lemon + vanilla

Lemon + coconut

Lemon + white chocolate

Lemon + raspberry

Lemon + (other citrus)

Lemon + ???

[Michael M]

OK, someone at some time will co-opt this thread into unusual flavors that go well together, one of my favorite subjects (remember as a kid mixing everything you could find in the spice cupboard into your latest dish?) (or was that just me?).

Miso + toasted pecans

Raisins + butter + garlic (on noodles...not really a pastry thing, but had to add)

More mainstream:

sherry + nuts, especialy almonds

figs + rum/brandy/marsala +/- chocolate

balsamic vinegar + strawberries, or really any berry

[k43]

From Michael Roberts, "secret ingredients" (flavor enhancers, themselves undetectable when used in small amounts):

- lobster + vanilla

- pork + honey, coriander, clove, orange

- pork + madeira or balsamic vinegar

- pork + mustard and capers

- pork + peanut butter

- onions, or anything that goes with them (e.g., stews) + balsamic vinegar

- popcorn + fresh cumin seeds, toasted and ground

- corn + chile

also

- pork + ground cumin, ground cardamom, ground clove, powdered ginger

- Angostura bitters on most meats and vegetables

- nuoc mam or nam pla on meats (adds umami)

- Grated ginger on almost anything. Fresh ginger freezes well. Cut into pieces the size of the last joint of your thumb and grate it frozen. Ginger Juice from The Ginger People is also excellent.

Edited December 12, 2005 by k43 (log)

[ruthcooks]

Wendy, I keep two Word files for reference. One I call "Tips and Techniques" which includes flavor combinations, menu combinations, etc., and the other is "Quotes" where I keep words of wisdom, mostly on food, that I may wish to quote someday.

Are you looking exclusively for baking/sweet combos? I rely on "Culinary Artistry" for inspiration on most foods.

[lemon curd]

Are you looking exclusively for baking/sweet combos?  I rely on "Culinary Artistry" for inspiration on most foods.

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Similar to the Culinary Artistry flavour combinations, Andrew MacLauchlan's The Making of a Pastry Chef includes ingredient flavour combinations. There are not near as many listed but it is a useful reference.

[SuzySushi]

Ling, you make me proud!

[John DePaula]

pistachio + strawberry

passion fruit + mango

BTW, Ling, what an awesome list!

[Steven Blaski]

I've always been puzzled by the ubiquitous pairing of chocolate & raspberry. I find it jarring. Anyone else agree?

[spaghetttti]

Coconut + cinnamon

Coconut + cardamom

Coconut + ginger

[pastrymama]

I've always been puzzled by the ubiquitous pairing of chocolate & raspberry. I find it jarring. Anyone else agree?

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I have to make cakes all the time that are chocolate with raspberry filling, usually jam with fresh berries. I personally don't like it, but so many requests must mean others do.

Edited December 13, 2005 by pastrymama (log)

[Pan]

A baker am I not, but here are some really good gelato combinations:

Chocolate and hazelnut

Strawberry and lemon

And I see nobody has mentioned "the lime and the coconut" yet. That's not only a good song but also a very good combination. Better yet if you use a more fragrant tropical lime like kaffir lime or Malaysian limau nipis.

Bananas and plantains go terrifically with rum (flambeed!) and dulce de leche.

[Wendy DeBord]

I've always been puzzled by the ubiquitous pairing of chocolate & raspberry. I find it jarring. Anyone else agree?

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Depends upon how it's done. It can be jarring, I agree completely. Chocolate, raspberry and cinnamon are excellent companions.

[Ling]

And I see nobody has mentioned "the lime and the coconut" yet.

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I mentioned it already.

Thanks for the praise, everyone.

[merstar]

cranberry and almond

chocolate and espresso

chocolate and chocolate

[Pan]

And I see nobody has mentioned "the lime and the coconut" yet.

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I mentioned it already.

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Ah, so you did, as did Ludja, making me third to mention that combo.

But no-one has mentioned pineapple and coconut yet. Have any of you tried Dominican cocopiñas? Yum! (Include lots of butter.)

[freddurf]

passion fruit + banana

passion fruit + macadamia nut

passion fruit + mac. nut + coconut

[ksaw29]

Favorite Ganache recipes

I book marked this thread. I loved the combinations.

[Syrah]

pistachio and cherry

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Hmm would this work in a salad? It is cherry season here now, but I will not waste the fresh ones with too much cooking. I can't quite taste it in my mind's eye.