Enhancing our Menu with a little Chemistry

No, we don’t mean the chemistry that sets light over a romantic dinner and a glass or two of a fine wine (though we are big fans of that kind of chemistry too!) 

In fact, this is where we dive a little deeper into the science behind flavours, and the way we use both our food and drink menu to deliver real experiences to all of our guests – regardless of dietary restrictions, preferences, and “picky eater syndrome” (you know who you are!)

Before we get stuck in, a little disclaimer. Before we really found out about the topic of chemistry in the kitchen, we were given a brief – to create a blog that discussed the lemon and salt thing. Now, if anyone else’s mind jumped straight to tequila then I have to admit, I’m in your camp. But it turns out that tequila is NOT what the team at Humble Grape had in mind…

How science enhances the dining and drinking experience

So, about that lemon and salt thing. 

It turns out that there is a reason why white wine goes so well with fish – and it has nothing to do with the fresh and clear colour. 

There’s also a reason why a spicy dish tastes so different when consumed with a red wine, compared with a white wine. 

And there’s a reason why dessert wine is named our favourite course. 

It’s all in the chemistry of the flavours, and the way that these different ingredients draw out the different layers of a complex and fruity wine. 

A plain piece of fish is considered an oily choice on the menu – but when paired with a white wine, the oil is cancelled out and the flavours of the fish and the wine are allowed to really shine through – in just the same way as adding a slice of lemon to fish cancels out the oily flavour. 

A spicy curry dish is typically filled with complex flavours and ingredients on its own, making it a difficult dish to pair with any kind of drink. Interestingly though, if you want to tone down the spice a little, white wine is the way to go – because a red will make the spice in the dish even more prominent and fragrant. 

A sprinkle of salt in any dish is enough to enhance the body of the wine, with a high tannin wine especially affected by salt as the acidity actually cancels out and tones down the tannin finish of the wine. 

And a sweet wine can actually counteract the effect of an overly sweet dessert, making sweet with sweet the ultimate pairing. 

Pretty amazing, right?

How do Humble Grape embody this science across their venues?

All of the Humble Grape wine experts and Chef’s are trained in the science behind the flavours, meaning that any one of the team can advise and provide more information about how your favourite wine will enhance any dish on the menu.

The top recommendation from Head Chef Dane is simple: “Pair complex wine with complex food and allow the pairing to draw the flavours our of both elements. All of our dishes and all of our wines tell their own stories, so see what happens when you start to mix and match – you might be surprised. I know I was!”

Find out more about the ultimate food and wine pairings by visiting one of our Humble Grape locations across London - where our resident Wine Specialist Nicola will be able to advise you on the best wines to serve with your favorite foods and spotlight dishes.