
Fact: when you stack things, they taste better.
Proof: ice cream cones, layers of cake, s’mores, and now this. What is this, you ask? It’s the silver lining. Yesterday I failed, albeit deliciously. Today I succeeded.
I turned a soggy pile of oxtail mush into a panko-fried cake and I put it on a round of polenta. Then I topped my savory “sundae,” but not with a cherry. Instead I used a port-poached plum. I love dessert, I really do. But as I go through life, the savory courses captivate me in a way no sweet ever could. I think it’s because you can tuck so many flavors into something savory- it can host salty, sweet, acidic, bitter and the elusive umami all in one bite. The alchemy is achieving the right balance between all five. With dessert, there is generally just sweet, with maybe a little saltiness thrown in if you’re feeling edgy. Read more