Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:I didn't get the parsley. That is decoration, NOT food. Look it up. Pinback uses parsley. Sad!
Years ago, I was in the same anti-parsley camp myself before my cooking enlightenment began.
It's a bad idea to discount the value of aesthetic beauty in cooking, it's one of the things that distinguishes us from the lower primates, and it is an important part of the overall experience. How many times do you hear people say that they don't want to try something because they "don't like the way it looks"? Making something more visually appealing will enhance the experience significantly, this is how our brains are hardwired to think.
The other important part about parsley is that it is a "bitter" which is a flavor profile that is often absent in many meals (usually found in citric elements which is not common). By adding this element into your meal, you are balancing out the flavor profile which ends up brightening up the taste of your meal: essentially pulling out flavors that are slightly deadened in the absence of a bitter.
Additionally, parsley aids in healthy digestion which also comes with a number of benefits.
The end result is that something that appears so minuscule is actually performing a number of important functions that will take your cooking to the next level. This makes it a necessity for me considering how easily available it is.
[quote="Ice Cream Jonsey"]I didn't get the parsley. That is decoration, NOT food. Look it up. Pinback uses parsley. Sad![/quote]
Years ago, I was in the same anti-parsley camp myself before my cooking enlightenment began.
It's a bad idea to discount the value of aesthetic beauty in cooking, it's one of the things that distinguishes us from the lower primates, and it is an important part of the overall experience. How many times do you hear people say that they don't want to try something because they "don't like the way it looks"? Making something more visually appealing will enhance the experience significantly, this is how our brains are hardwired to think.
The other important part about parsley is that it is a "bitter" which is a flavor profile that is often absent in many meals (usually found in citric elements which is not common). By adding this element into your meal, you are balancing out the flavor profile which ends up brightening up the taste of your meal: essentially pulling out flavors that are slightly deadened in the absence of a bitter.
Additionally, parsley aids in healthy digestion which also comes with a number of benefits.
The end result is that something that appears so minuscule is actually performing a number of important functions that will take your cooking to the next level. This makes it a necessity for me considering how easily available it is.