168 Chapter 8 Fattiness, Cooking Method, Protein, and Body
INTRODUCTION
Astandard scientific definition of texture is ‘‘the arrange-
ment of the particles or constituent parts of a material that
gives it its characteristic structure.’’^1 Sensations such as
smoothness, stickiness, graininess, fibrousness, and consis-
tency can be detected as part of this tactile sense. Food tex-
tures can have a positive or negative impact on our perception
of the food item. This perception depends on preconceived
notions, context, and our state of mind at the time.
Textures in food can be an important element in food-and-wine pairing choices. The determination of whether a
food item is light-, medium-, or full-bodied depends on a num-
ber of factors, including fat level in the protein or additional
plate elements, the cooking method employed, and an overall
feeling of body or texture across all of the food items included
in a particular dish. These texture elements interact to impact
the perception of the body, power, or weight of a particular
dish.
It is important to note that texture preferences are par-tially driven by cultural and personal differences. Certainly we
all have preferences in terms of texture expectations based on
lifetime experiences. For instance, while tofu has a neutral fla-
vor, the texture is very soft and almost gelatinous. This may
be part of the reason tofu is not as popular in North American
cultures as it is in many Asian cultures. Other common texture
examples include preferences or dislike for eating raw oysters
or sashimi.
A classic match of lamb and
tannic red wine. The fattiness
and power of the lamb dish
provide a balance with the
full-bodied and tannic
characteristics of the red
wine.Aperitif
!
Canoe Restaurant and Bar
Canoe is a critically acclaimed restaurant located at the top of the TD Bank Building in Toronto, Canada.
It is part of the Oliver Bonacini Restaurants group and was designed to reflect Canada’s rich natural
environment. The culinary team is led by executive chef Anthony Walsh and chef de cuisine Tom Brodi.
The dinner menu highlights starters and main courses that feature regional Canadian-inspired dishes along
with two food and wine tasting menus. There is both a six-course tasting menu (Taste Canoe) and four-
course tasting menu (Canoe Taste Classics). Each menu presents creative regional dishes paired with ap-
propriate wines. As an additional bonus, the tasting menus also include an amuse-bouche, an intermezzo,
and a pre-sweet item. Additional information about Canoe and other Oliver Bonacini Restaurants can be
found at http://www.oliverbonacini.com.