The bridge ingredient is one of the most useful concepts in flavour architecture — an ingredient that shares aromatic compounds with two otherwise unrelated elements, making their combination feel cohesive. It is the technique behind the greatest flavour innovations in cooking history.
A bridge ingredient shares a key aromatic compound (or flavour family) with two other ingredients that do not otherwise connect — allowing a cook to combine them without the combination reading as arbitrary. The bridge makes the leap logical.
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