Overall Food Body 171
light in the case of poached or steamed white fish to very powerful in the case of grilled or
blackened venison or elk. This relationship is impacted by the protein type, fattiness level,
and cooking method.
Moist heat cooking methods are those where heat is conducted to the food item by a
liquid and include methods such as steaming, boiling, and braising. Cooking methods defined
as dry heat methods are those where heat is conducted to the food item by hot air (roasting,
baking), hot metal (grilling, blackening), radiation (broiling), and hot fat (stir-frying, saute ́-
ing, pan-frying, deep-frying). These cooking methods impact not only the amount of fat
retained in the finished dish but also the protein and collagen structure. When a dry heat
method is utilized, the structure of the dish can be very different than if moist heat is used.
A dry heat cooking method often allows excess fat to run off (grilling is an example), whereas
moist heat often reincorporates the fats that melt off back into the food as part of the sauce,
such as in a rich beef stew. Conversely, some dry heat methods such as pan-frying and deep-
frying increase the fat content in the finished food item. In many cases the browning or
charring that is sometimes a part of dry heat cooking creates a more powerful structure than
a moist cooking method would. This explains how a lighter protein prepared using a more
robust cooking method will have a more powerful texture than the protein type alone would
suggest. For instance, sea bass cooked on a grill has a more powerful texture than chicken
done by a moist heat method (poached, for instance).
In Table 8.1, the protein listed in the first column and the moist cooking method in
the second column interact to create the anticipated body level indicated in the third column
(Anticipated Body Levels). The interaction of the dry cooking method in the Dry Cooking
Methods column with the protein type in the fourth column creates the anticipated body
level shown in the far right-hand column. These are but a few examples, but as you can
imagine, there are numerous other protein type and cooking method interactions, and you
may also find yourself eating a dish prepared using a variety of cooking methods.
Meats prepared with robust cooking methods such as roasting or grilling should be
paired with young reds with high tannin to match robustness with robustness. Robust cook-
ing methods require wine with a strong enough personality to balance the powerful textures
added to the dish. Bigger reds or big whites pair well with dishes prepared using robust
cooking methods. White wines that provide an effective contrast with robust cooking meth-
ods range from dry Fino or Manzanilla sherry to German Kabinett. The opposite end of
the cooking method continuum (poaching, steaming, etc.) requires a similarity match, which
can be achieved by pairing these finished dishes with neutral, light-bodied wines.
OVERALL FOOD BODY
The overall food body is a texture element based on your perception of the overall
power or body of the prepared dish. This evaluation takes the following factors into con-
sideration: protein type, fat level, cooking method, and what the item is served with—
basically the range of texture factors that provide a feeling of weight or structure throughout
your mouth. The most basic assessment of food body is based on a continuum from light
to very rich.
The type of food item and the temperature at which it is served impact the definition
and perception of its body. For warm and cool items, body characteristics may include the
consistency, viscosity, richness, and toughness of the food. For frozen items such as ice cream,
body may be associated with the melting characteristics in your mouth. Does it quickly melt
away and give the impression of lightness? Or does it resist melting and create a rich feeling
in the mouth?
The examples of overall food body included in the Food Sensory Anchor Sheet (Figure
B.1) presented in this chapter’s exercises provide ascending levels of body derived from a
combination of protein type, cooking method, and fattiness of the prepared dish. These
provide a good example of variation in overall body and texture in finished food dishes.