ask: Is there a green-grass note in this aroma?
A fruity note? A spicy or nutty or earthy note?
If so, which kind of fruit or spice or nut?
Chapters 6–8 give interesting facts about the
aromas of particular fruits, vegetables, herbs,
and spices.
Aroma Families The box on pp. 274–275
identifies some of the more prominent aromas
to be found in plant foods. Though I’ve
divided them by type of food, this division is
arbitrary. Fruits may have green-leaf aromas;
vegetables may contain chemicals more
characteristic of fruits or spices; spices and
herbs share many aromatics with fruits. Some
examples: cherries and bananas contain the
dominant element of cloves; coriander
contains aromatics that are prominent in
citrus flowers and fruits; carrots share piney
aromatics with Mediterranean herbs. While a
given plant does usually specialize in the
production of a certain kind of aromatic,