Sunday, June 20, 2010

Another Bitter Encounter - a real toot

We were planning to meet at 2:00 in Elsinore and I wasn't going to make it. Shari agreed to drive to the rancho with her samples where we could review them. Two boxes of stuff - about 15 samples she had ready. Excellent presentation - we could see clearly what was happening and where to go. She did an great job of  making the bitter better but was frustrated tasting alone. It's very difficult as you begin to doubt yourself....adaptation sets in and you don't know what you're doing after a while. Working in a lab full of people has it's advantages for this kind of project.

We were sitting upstairs in our new office with a bunch of mason jars filled with clear liquid on the table between us. The granite installer came upstairs to tell me something and as he glanced at the mason jars, he said he hadn't had a drink in 18 years but that alcohol was starting to appeal to him again! I guess he thought Shari and I were going on a real toot. 

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:39 PM

    your posts about the "bitter" tests reminded me of something that happened this weekend. We had breakfast at "The Trails" a little health food stand in Griffith Park's Ferndell. A lovely spot. Barbara ordered a slice of apple pie. I heard someone in line say that they don't use sugar there, they use aguave for a sweetener. That was the worst apple pie i've ever tasted. Almost inedible and very bitter. Do you think it was the aguave?
    Nancy

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  2. Agave syrup is a pretty clean sweet taste. Was the pie sour? or bitter. If they used another of the low calorie sweeteners like aspartame or Ace K this could make it bitter. Also these sweeteners "bake out", so that after heating to 375 for pie baking, at least 1/2 of the sweetness disappears.

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