Heat heat heat heat (a quick 2024 recap)
I remember the buzz around Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat when it was first published in 2017. In my memory it was placeless, just ubiquitous.
In 2017, awash in my excursion-turned exile, I lacked the time and energy for anything beyond day-to-day survival. So I made a mental note to read the book later.
A year later, at the announcement of an accompanying mini-Netflix special, I came back to that mental note. I underlined it.
But you can already probably guess: I didn’t actually read the book until this year.
—
With 11 days left in 2024, I can now confidently say: I had a great year.
I had spare time on my hands, a working oven, and a compulsion to ideal-driven self-flagellation. Plus: access to some of the world's greatest specialty coffee and high-quality tea and food. I witnessed the effects of salt, acid, fat and heat firsthand and learned more about my personal taste.
From mind-numbing repetition of so many processes, I learned about myself:
- I learn almost exclusively by doing or by watching.
- I like extreme amounts of acidity in foods, not so much in coffees.
- I hyperfixate too easily on tiny details when I should be making bigger changes.
- I need better discernment about what is/isn't shared with friends. See image below for example:
.png)(I'll save that last point for another post).
Back to salt, fat, acid, heat, and the learning exclusively by doing. Here's where all that doing led:
Home ovens never tell the truth.
Great teas can withstand temperatures of 100°C.
In fact, great teas need adequately high temperatures to reveal their full spectrum of flavors.
Though biscuits are a quickbread, they still benefit from resting.
Especially because: see point 1.
Chocolate won't temper at average Indonesian room temperature.
That's bc "ambient room temperature" means something very different here.
It doesn't matter what you're making. Adjust the recipe for where you are.
Even just two extra minutes of heat can destroy texture.
The appearance of santan-based broths is dependent on agitation, not heat.
Heat can cause bitterness, even in drinks.
Cheap ingredients can always, always, always be tasted or felt.
I love doing this.
I'm excited about next year because, after years, I've got clarity. I can feel all these different strands of my life coming together.
Pullo is nigh-corporeal, just centimeters away from incarnation — fueling visions of distant lands and leaves. Our vision for the cafe is also gaining definition. And I'm starting to see a place for all my different experiments.
There is so much I can do! There is so much I have yet to make, cook, bake! If you're reading this, you've probably tried something I had a hand in making. Thank you! See you in the next year with more new stuff! We look forward to serving you~