The charts show the flavor spectrum in the particular category, mapping nuances of flavors and aromas. They’re a great way to learn how to taste. We’ve spent many enjoyable sessions, sitting down with the food and the wheel.

THE NIBBLE has presented a:

 
We’ve also created our own Chocolate Tasting Chart.

Today, we present an Oyster Flavor Wheel (below) created by Pangea Shellfish.

The flavors of agricultural products like cacao beans, olives and wine grapes are greatly affected by their terroir, the unique components of the place (environment) where they are grown. For example, depending on where it is grown, Sauvignon Blanc can have grass or grapefruit notes—or neither.

Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat, which affect a crop’s qualities. It includes the climate and microclimate, weather, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives the wine its character. Terroir is the basis of the French A.O.C. (appellation d’origine contrôlée) system.
 
OYSTERS ARE A BIT DIFFERENT

Top: Oysters On The Half Shell at Ox And Son | Santa Monica. Bottom: Permaquid oysters from JP Shellfish.

 
These factors are why even oysters grown in the same region taste very different. For example, a Malaspina oyster from outside Vancouver Island tastes of artichoke with undertones of metal and salt. A Pemaquid oyster from Maine tastes of cucumber.

 
French oyster growers recently coined the term merroir to describe products harvested from the sea instead of the soil (marine + terroir = merroier).
 
SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OYSTERS & OTHER OYSTER TERMINOLOGY IN OUR OYSTER GLOSSARY.

Top: Band oysters, shucked and ready to taste. “Band” refers to the pronounced black band at the bottom of the oyster meat. Bottom: Riptide Oysters from Westport, Massachusetts. Photos courtesy Pangea Shellfish.

1. Start with the taste section. Be sure to note the oyster’s saltiness by using a brine scale of 0 to 5—0 being no salt, 5 being full ocean salinity.

2. Follow the wheel clockwise to note the oyster’s texture and finish. The finish is the taste that remains in your mouth after you’ve eaten the item.

An oyster may have multiple attributes in each section, so taste for all the nuances. .

 
What If The Oyster Doesn’t Taste Great?

If you encounter an unpleasant oyster, faults are built into the wheel. The wheel does not explicitly call out faults because it is subjective (an analogy: certain wine grapes have a quality described as “skunky” and some aromas are heavily sulphuric. Some people dislike them, others don’t care. Each taster should evaluate a product based on his/her own preferences.
 
Tasting Tips

To ensure a complete flavor experience:

 
Remember that there are five components of taste: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami, the “protein” taste

 

This chart is © Pangea Shellfish Company, and is the first version of the wheel. It will continue to evolve based on input from industry professionals, so check for the latest version.
 
HAVE AN OYSTER TASTING PARTY

Don’t want to shop and shuck at home? Bring the wheel with you to a top seafood restaurant and let the professionals do the work.
  

Some recipes instruct you to grind herbs or spices. In our grandmother’s day, that meant using a mortar and pestle. In our mother’s day, it meant using the coffee grinder for herbs and spices.

Mom, a purist, had a second grinder for that purpose. Other folks had to first grind uncooked rice in their coffee grinder to remove minute particles of coffee, or else suffer coffee-accented spices.

Today, manufacturers are doing more to meet the needs of home cooks. McCormick, for example, sells four popular herbs—basil, Italian blend, oregano and parsley—in non-refillable glass grinder bottles (center photo).

On the spice end, McCormick has grinders for peppercorns and peppercorn-herb blends, seasoned salt blends and plain salt grinders.

There are herb mills and spice grinders, a.k.a. mills, but we especially like the new Kyocera “Everything Grinder” (bottom photo—more about the mill below). Technically, “mill” refers to the entire device and “grinder” to the grinding mechanism inside the mill.

FOOD 101: HERBS, MINERALS & SPICES—THE DIFFERENCE

Herbs, minerals and spices are three options to flavor foods.

 
THE KYOCERA EVERYTHING MILL

Now, one mill grinds everything: dried herbs, pepper, salt, seeds and spices: the Kyocera Everything Mill With Adjustable Advanced Ceramic Grinder.

The company states that its advanced ceramic burr mill mechanism, close in hardness to a diamond, will outlast any metal-based grinding mill. Is adjusts from fine to coarse grinds.

Top: Marble mortar and pestle from RSVP. Center: McCormick Spice Grinder. Bottom: Kyocera Everything Mill.

In addition to salt and peppercorns, you can grind celery, cumin, dill, flax, mustard and sesame seeds; any spices including red pepper flakes; and any dried herbs.

To grind pliant fresh herbs you’ll still need a mortar and pestle (preferably) or a spice mill/coffee grinder with a metal blade. We’ve tried both and strongly recommend hand-grinding with a mortar and pestle for the finest flavor. Metal blades tear the leaves in a way that releases the oil in a different way. You’ll also need the mortar or metal blades stop grind nuts.

But for most grinding, you can count on the Kyocera Everything Mill. There’s a color for every kitchen: Apple Green, Bright Black, Brilliant White, Candy Apple Red, Translucent Blue and Translucent Maroon.

At $19.95, they make good gifts for your favorite cooks. All colors are available on Amazon.com.
 
FUN: The History Of Coffee Grinders.

Use pretzels in a different way on April 26th, National Pretzel Day. Consider everything from mini pretzels and pretzel sticks to big, soft pretzels as:

 
If you come up with something nifty, let us know.
 
Here’s a recipe for Caramel Pretzel Doughnuts from Betty Crocker.

Alternatively, here’s an iced doughnut shaped like a pretzel.

And here’s a recipe to bake your own soft pretzels. Perhaps add a doughnut glaze (recipe below). Have fun with it!

 
PRETZEL HISTORY

Thanks to creative monks, man has enjoyed 15 centuries of pretzel snacks. Here’s the history of pretzels.
 
RECIPE: DOUGHNUT GLAZE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan; heat over low until warm. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the milk and whisk slowly until thoroughly combined.

2. REMOVE from the heat and set over a bowl of hot water to keep the glaze from hardening. Dip the doughnuts (or pretzels) into the glaze, one at a time, and set on a rack placed in a half sheet pan to drip. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.
  

Last spring we published a tip on serving foods in mini flower pots—the size that can be used to pot small succulents.

You can use them anytime: to serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks.

You can find mini flower pots in terra cotta or terra cotta-colored plastic. Either can go into the dishwasher.

For Mother’s Day or other special occasion, why not start the day by using them to serve scrambled or boiled eggs?

Use wax paper, parchment or butterhead lettuce leaves (bibb, Boston, green leaf, red leaf) to plug the drainage hole on the bottom of the flower pot; then add the food.

Garnish scrambled eggs or peeled boiled eggs with:

 
Include a salt shaker (or flavored salt) and a peppermill.
 
DON’T WANT TO BUY FLOWERPOTS?

You can serve scrambled eggs in a Martini glass.

Don’t like eggs? Serve berries in the flower pots.

This variation tops scrambled eggs with bay scallops, and a chive stem for garnish. If the chives are flowering, great! Photo courtesy David Burke Fromagerie.

[2] Stir-fried spaghetti from Annie Chun..

[3] Stir-fried bowtie pasta, Asian-style. Here’s the recipe (photo © Kaluhi’s Kitchen).

You can use any un-sauced pasta or noodle with any other ingredients, and give it the spin you want—Italian versus Asian, for example. You can use pasta with tomato sauce if you select add-on ingredients that would taste good together in an omelet.

You can use any ingredients you have on hand. We’ve used sausage and fresh mango, and ham and pineapple, for example.
 
 
RECIPE #1: STIR-FRIED PASTA, FREESTYLE

Here are options for free-styling (combining whatever you want). Or follow the measured recipe below.
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. ADD the olive oil and vegetables to a large pan. If using dark sesame oil, add a small amount—it is very strong. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies are al dente.

3. ADD the pasta and meat/seafood and mix well. Add the fresh herbs, stir and serve.
 

RECIPE #2: CRISPY LEFTOVER PASTA WITH EGGS, ONIONS & PEPPERS

This recipe from PatsaFits.org uses ingredients most of us have around the house. You can also use leftover pasta with a tomato sauce in this recipe.

Ingredients For 4 Main Servings

 
Preparation

1. HEAT a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions and peppers until softened and starting to brown (about 3 minutes).

3. DIVIDE among 4 bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
 
 
MORE FRIED RICE RECIPES

Have leftover grains instead of pasta? Here are three ways to stir-fry them.

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