Five Tastes

“When people in ancient China spoke of the ‘five tastes,’ they were talking not only literally about the five tastes recognized in Chinese gastronomy—sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty—but also metaphorically about all the ingredients and flavors at a cook’s disposal. They were part of the dynamic process of the cosmos, like the five elements and the constant flux of yin and yang. A chef was a kind of magician, someone able to harness the virtues of the five tastes and combine them harmoniously in a dish, observing the Chinese philosophy that good health and pleasure are inseparable when it comes to food.”