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Acidity is one of the most important concepts in understanding flavor, and knowing how to use it is crucial to cooking well. As we’ve discussed before, the term “seasoning” in cooking generally refers to the use of salt and acid to build and balance flavor in food. You can almost think of salt and acid as two sides of the same coin— they both help to elevate existing flavors in food, but they have different effects and are used a bit differently.
Knowing how to properly use acid will elevate your cooking substantially— it’s one of the most important skills you can develop as a cook. In this lesson we’ll cover what acidity is, why it’s important, and how to use it in your cooking.
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Scientifically speaking, an acid is a substance with a pH below 7. Things that are acidic taste sour or tart, and there are a ton of them that we commonly use in cooking. Lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, tomatoes, tomato sauce, yogurt, buttermilk, and wine are all acidic ingredients.
Acidity is one of the five major flavors, along with sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami. But acidity isn’t just a flavor, it’s also a tool that’s used to brighten and balance other flavors, which is why it’s one of the two pillars of seasoning.
Acid helps to brighten and elevate existing flavors in food, it provides contrast with other flavors, and it helps to balance overall flavor profiles. When we add acid to foods, we describe the resulting sensation as bright, sour, sharp, or tangy. I like to say that acidity brings a mouthwatering brightness that makes flavors really pop.
Think about the breakdown of a piece of pizza— dough and cheese on its own is starchy, fatty, and rich. These are delicious, but only with the tomato sauce does it become a perfect combination of flavors. The acidity in the sauce provides a tangy contrast to the starchiness and richness of the other ingredients, bringing overall balance to the dish.
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The most common sources of concentrated acidity, or what I like to call direct acidity, are vinegar and citrus. Both of these elements are highly acidic, and though they also add additional flavor, their main driver is acidity. As I mentioned in the pantry lesson, you should always have a few sources of concentrated acidity on deck for cooking.
Vinegar is produced by fermenting alcohol, which significantly ups its acidity and its complexity. The flavor of vinegar can vary a lot depending on what base is used. Rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar are all acidic, but they each bring different additional flavors to the table.
A good rule of thumb for pairing vinegars is to think about the alcohol that’s used to make it and where that’s commonly consumed. Rice-based alcohol like sake and soju is common in Asia, so rice vinegar tends to pair well with Asian dishes. Wine is common throughout much of Europe and the Mediterranean, so red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, and sherry vinegar all work well with those cuisines. Malt vinegar (made from beer) and apple cider vinegar (made from cider) tend to work well with Central European and American cuisines. These are by no means hard and fast rules, but they’re helpful heuristics.
In general, I like to keep at least one of each of both lighter vinegars (rice vinegar, champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar) and darker vinegars (red wine vinegar, Balsamic vinegar, Chinese black vinegar) in my pantry. Lighter vinegars are useful for adding just a pop of brightness, while darker vinegars tend to bring more flavor and complexity (umami, sweetness, etc).