Flavor Theory Flavour Building

Aromatic Trinity — Ginger, Scallion, Garlic (姜葱蒜 Jiang Cong Suan)

Ginger (姜, jiang), scallion (葱, cong), and garlic (蒜, suan) are the three foundational aromatics of …

The Five Flavors (五味 Wu Wei) — Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Spicy, Salty

Wu wei (五味, the five flavors) is the ancient Chinese framework for understanding flavor — sourness (…

Xian (鲜) — Chinese Umami: The Fifth Taste and MSG History

Xian (鲜) is the Chinese concept that most closely maps to umami — though it encompasses more than th…