On Food and Cooking

directly to the dish. The finer the crumble or
grind, the greater the surface area from which
flavor molecules can escape, and so the more
rapidly the flavor moves from flavoring into
dish.
Rapid extraction may or may not be
desirable. In a briefly cooked dish, it’s
essential. In a long-cooked stew, however, a
slower release from coarser particles or whole
leaves and seeds may be preferable. In pickles
and preserves, whole spices provide flavor
without clouding the liquid. Once flavor
molecules have been extracted into a
preparation, they begin to react with oxygen
and with other food molecules, and their
original flavor is transformed, however
subtly. Larger particles release the original
flavors over a longer time. Another way to
assure some fresh flavors in a long-cooked
dish is to add the herb or spice — either
altogether or a supplemental dose — toward
the end of cooking, or even after the cooking