Form & Taste

Food Science

5 articles

Split image contrasting a high-altitude coffee plantation with a lush vineyard, illustrating the impact of geography and climate on food.
Food

What is Terroir and How Does It Shape Our Food?

Coffee cultivated above 1000 meters in low-rainfall areas consistently yields a more aromatic, acidic, and appreciated cup.

Camille Rousseau·May 19, 2026
An artistic depiction of a human palate intertwined with swirling colors, textures, and aromatic wisps, symbolizing the multisensory creation of food flavor.
Food

How Multisensory Perception Creates Flavor in Food

Long before a first conscious taste, even in the womb, a baby's palate begins its intricate dance with flavor.

Camille Rousseau·May 15, 2026
A surreal juxtaposition of white chocolate and caviar, connected by glowing chemical structures, representing the science of flavor pairing.
Food

What Are the Scientific Principles of Flavor Pairing?

White chocolate and caviar, a pairing that sounds bizarre, share the odorant trimethylamine, revealing a hidden chemical logic behind their surprising harmony.

Camille Rousseau·May 13, 2026
A steaming bowl of rich broth with shiitake mushrooms, visually representing the savory fifth taste of umami.
Food

What Is Umami and Why Is It the Fifth Taste in Modern Gastronomy?

More than a century ago, a Japanese chemist extracted a single molecule from seaweed broth, unveiling a 'fifth taste' that would become a global flavor enhancer, yet still battle widespread misconcept

Camille Rousseau·May 12, 2026
Ancient Chinese pottery jars filled with bubbling fermented foods, illuminated by soft, mysterious light, evoking a sense of historical culinary discovery.
Food

What is fermentation in gastronomy and why does it matter?

From ancient Chinese pottery, echoes of fermentation whisper back to 7000 BC, revealing humanity's earliest dance with invisible microbes.

Camille Rousseau·May 11, 2026