I was reminded last night that great food isn't just about taste. Oh, things have to taste good but it takes more than that. Really great food involves all five of our senses. Of course there's taste, but sight, smell, touch and hearing all play a role in making for a special meal.
It's only been in the last several years that the concept of food presentation has made an impression on me. As you might guess, I spend a lot of my free time vegging out in front of the Food Network or the Cooking Channel. One of my favorite shows is Iron Chef.
What makes this so interesting is the combination of the time limit and the "surprise" of the Secret Ingredient. Two accomplished chef's battle each other to present a series of plates that are scored on the basis of taste, presentation and originality in the use of the secret ingredient.
Somehow they need to deliver this with "Smell-o-Vision." That's not to say that everything should come with "Smell-o-Vision" because some of the episodes of Hoarders or the hillbilly hand fishing shows appear to have some pretty ripe smells. But for cooking shows it's one thing to see it but something entirely different to experience it.
(I wonder how I can score a guest judge gig?)
Just last night I was privileged to join with my cousins to celebrate my uncle's 85th birthday, their 60th wedding anniversary and my cousin's 50th birthday. Of course you can't do that without food, can you?
Actually we were there as a bit of a surprise. My aunt and uncle weren't expecting us. All weekend long they've been celebrating with a surprise here and there. One cousin flying in from Phoenix and arriving at a concert on Thursday night. One cousin driving in from Iowa and arriving at a boat tour in the city with his two daughters.
What made me think about this post was that last night's celebration was at Ruth's Chris Steak House in South Barrington. They're known for delivering their steaks on 500 degree plates. It's not so much that the plates are that hot but when the steak is set in front of you the sizzle of the steak is the first thing that hits your senses.
Thankfully our server warned everyone about the plates because when I suggest that "touch" plays into your food experience it shouldn't be 3rd degree burns from the searing hot plate. But more on that a little bit later.
We begin to eat with our eyes, don't we?
It doesn't matter how tasty the food may be if it looks like a pile of mushed up kitchen scraps. We're not likely to even try a taste. I think that's the thing about cooking at home that's the hardest. We can make the most delicious foods but then we just heap them on a plate like we're serving elementary school kids in the lunch line.
I'm sure that there are plenty of perfectly delicious foods that I've passed up over the years because they look like something I would pick up in the yard. Since the movers arrive in less than two weeks, I was busily packing over the weekend. As I was packing up my cookbooks, I was struck by the one on plating food.
At least I'm thinking about plate appearance some of the time.
Next up on the sense parade is the sense of smell. This goes back to my earlier comments about Iron Chef and the need for "Smell-o-Vision." I've noticed that I may start off not very hungry but walk into a kitchen where delicious aromas fill every nook and cranny. I leave with my mouth watering and this overpowering hunger that was not there 20 seconds ago.
I'm not a doctor nor did I spend the night in a Holiday Inn Express last night so I have to go by what I'm told . . . and what I know from personal experience. If you can't smell anything you really can't taste anything. All of our senses work together that way.
When that sizzling ribeye was set in front of me not only did I hear it, but it looked perfect and the aroma had my mouth watering from the moment it was placed in front of me. But then there's the texture. Cutting into a perfectly medium rare steak is like cutting into a piece of heaven. Taking a bite and tasting this deliciously aged steak as it melted like butter in my mouth.
Last night they passed around a side of sweet potatoes. I'm sure that that they were perfectly delicious but for some reason I don't like sweet potatoes. I think it's because of the texture -- or at least the texture from something made years ago. It's the same for butternut squash. I kind of like it in a soup but on it's own not so much.
Last night I ordered one of the Ruth's Chris classics . . . a three course dinner featuring soup or salad, an entree and side and desert. Very reasonably priced. I had never been to a Ruth's Chris before and came away really impressed.
It's because every one of my senses last night was fully engaged.
That and the server who was attentive but not hovering. It's not often we get a true southerner serving in a restaurant in the Chicago area -- I think it may have something to do with our winters -- but those sweet southern accents that put me in a good mood.
While it was my first visit to Ruth's Chris Steak House, it won't certainly be my last. They not only have delicious food, but their wine list is pretty nice, too.
The next time I'm tempted to throw something that's a little burned on a plate like an elementary school lunch lady, I'll remember this experience and put a little more work into getting all five senses into the game.
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