Produce
Tomatoes
Sweet, acidic and naturally savoury. Tomatoes are one of the few ingredients that can bring sweetness, freshness, acidity and umami to the same dish.
Forkin' · food notes
Know your ingredients.
Short, useful pages on the ingredients you cook with — flavour, buying, storage, cooking uses, and the food theory that makes them work.
Produce
Onions
Sharp and pungent when raw. Sweet, rich and savoury when cooked.
Produce
Garlic
Sharp, spicy and pungent raw. Sweet, nutty and mellow when roasted.
Produce
Potatoes
Mild, earthy and starchy with a natural sweetness when roasted.
Produce
Mushrooms
Earthy, savoury and naturally rich in umami.
Protein
Eggs
Rich, creamy and mildly savoury.
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Protein
Chicken
Mild, savoury and adaptable.
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Protein
Beef
Rich, savoury and deeply meaty.
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Protein
Pork
Mild, slightly sweet and savoury.
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Protein
Bacon
Salty, smoky, savoury and rich.
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Dairy
Parmesan
Sharp, salty, and intensely nutty. It delivers a massive hit of umami with a slightly grainy texture.
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Dairy
Cheddar
Rich, nutty and distinctly sharp.
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Dairy
Mozzarella
Mild, milky and clean. Fresh mozzarella is soft and bouncy with a delicate floral tang. It is the polite guest of the cheese world—it does not hog the spotlight, it just makes everyone else look better.
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Dairy
Butter
Rich, creamy and unbeatably indulgent. Butter provides a fatty mouthfeel that carries other flavours across the palate.
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Dairy
Milk
Creamy, slightly sweet and neutral. It has a subtle richness that rounds out bitter or acidic flavours in coffee and sauces.
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Dairy
Yoghurt
Cool, creamy, and distinctively tart. It has a sharp acidity developed through fermentation that cuts through rich, fatty foods.
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Dairy
Cream
Rich, milky and subtly sweet. It has a heavy, luxurious mouthfeel that coats the palate and carries other flavours beautifully.
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Dairy
Feta
Sharp, salty, and tangy with a rich, creamy finish. Depending on the ratio of sheep to goat milk, it can range from mild and buttery to punchy and acidic. It has a distinctively crumbly texture that softens but never quite melts away.
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Dairy
Blue Cheese
Intense, salty, tangy and sharp. Depending on the variety, it can range from buttery and sweet to spicy and pungent.
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Dairy
Brie
Rich, buttery and creamy with a mild, earthy undertone. Depending on the age, you’ll get notes of sautéed mushrooms and a slight hint of grass.
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Pantry
Salt
Salty, obviously. But its real job isn't to make food taste like salt; it’s to make everything else taste more like itself. It reduces our perception of bitterness and enhances our perception of sweetness.
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Pantry
Black Pepper
Sharp, spicy and surprisingly floral. It provides a dry heat that hits the back of the throat rather than the tip of the tongue. Depending on the variety, you might pick up notes of citrus, pine or fermented musk.
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Pantry
Olive Oil
A spectrum of green and gold. Depending on the olive variety, it can taste like freshly cut grass, green tomatoes, artichokes, or buttery nuts.
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Pantry
Vinegar
Sharp, acidic and bright. Depending on the base—be it grape, apple or grain—it can range from harshly sour to deeply sweet and fruity.
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Pantry
Balsamic Vinegar
Deep, complex and syrupy. It balances intense sweetness with a sharp, vinegary bite. You will pick up notes of oak, cherry, and dried fruits like figs or raisins.
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Pantry
Apple Cider Vinegar
Sharp, tart and fruity. It has a much softer edge than white distilled vinegar and a more complex, fermented depth than lemon juice.
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Pantry
Soy Sauce
Salt, fermented funk and a massive hit of umami. It is liquid seasoning that adds a dark, savoury bass note to whatever it touches.
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Pantry
Fish Sauce
Pungent, salty, and incredibly savoury. On its own, the smell is aggressive and the taste is sharp. Once cooked or diluted, it mellows into a rich, earthy funk that provides a massive hit of umami. It acts as a volume knob for other flavours.
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Pantry
Worcestershire Sauce
A complex, funky explosion of salty, sour and sweet.
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Pantry
Mustard
Sharp, pungent and spicy. It provides a unique nasal heat that cuts through fat and balances rich, heavy flavours. Depending on the variety, it can range from mellow and sweet to sinus-clearingly hot.
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Grains
Rice
Neutral, mild and nutty. Rice is essentially a blank canvas designed to carry the heavy hitters like salt, fat, acidity and spice.
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Grains
Pasta
Mild, nutty, and earthy. It is the ultimate blank canvas. Dry pasta is more about texture and structure, while fresh egg pasta brings a richer, silkier, and more buttery flavour to the table.
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Grains
Bread
The flavour of bread depends entirely on the grain and the fermentation. It ranges from neutral and milky in a white loaf to nutty, earthy, and distinctly tangy in a long-fermented sourdough.
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Grains
Flour
Mild, nutty, and slightly sweet, but mostly neutral. Raw flour tastes dusty and chalky.
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Grains
Cornflour
Neutral and starchy. It has very little taste of its own, which makes it the perfect silent partner in a recipe. It provides body and texture without masking the flavours of your other ingredients.
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Grains
Oats
Mild, nutty and slightly toasted. Oats are a blank canvas. They have an earthy sweetness that plays well with salt, sugar, fats and acids.
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Grains
Couscous
Mild, nutty and slightly sweet. Because it is essentially tiny bits of pasta, it is a neutral canvas designed to soak up the fats, acids and spices of whatever it is served with.
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Grains
Quinoa
Mild, nutty and slightly earthy. It has a distinctive "pop" when you bite into it.
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Grains
Barley
Mild, nutty, and slightly sweet. It has a chewy, satisfying texture that holds its shape even after long simmering. It is less about dominant flavour and more about providing a comforting, earthy foundation for other ingredients.
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Grains
Breadcrumbs
Toasty, carby and neutral. They take on whatever seasoning you throw at them.
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Fruit
Lemons
Sharp, acidic and bright. Lemons bring a clean sourness that acts as a natural flavour enhancer for both sweet and savoury dishes.
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Fruit
Limes
Sharp, tart and intensely floral.
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Fruit
Apples
A balance of sugar and malic acid. Depending on the variety, they range from tart and floral to honey-like and intensely sweet. The skin provides a bitter tannin hit that rounds out the experience.
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Fruit
Bananas
Mild, sweet and creamy. As they ripen, the flavour shifts from a subtle, slightly floral green note to a deep, honey-like sweetness with hints of caramel and vanilla.
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Fruit
Avocados
Rich, buttery and subtly nutty with a grassy finish. Because of their high fat content, avocados act as a neutral canvas that carries other bold flavours like lime, chilli and salt.
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Fruit
Oranges
A bright balance of sugar and acid. Oranges range from floral and delicate to sharp and tangy, depending on the variety. The aromatic oils in the skin provide a fragrant, slightly bitter contrast to the sweet juice.
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Fruit
Pears
Sweet, floral, and subtly spicy. They have a mellow acidity compared to apples and a unique, slightly grainy texture that feels elegant rather than crunchy.
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Fruit
Berries
A balance of bright sweetness and sharp acidity. Strawberries offer a floral sweetness, blueberries are earthy and mild, while raspberries and blackberries bring a tart, punchy tang.
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Fruit
Pineapple
A punchy balance of bright sweetness and sharp acidity. It has a complex, tropical aroma with distinct floral and caramel notes when ripe.
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Fruit
Mango
Explosively sweet, slightly floral and deeply tropical. Depending on the variety, you might get hits of peach, citrus or even a resinous, pine-like edge.
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Produce
Broccoli
Earthy, mildly bitter and sweet when cooked properly. It has a sulfurous edge that is balanced by salt and fat.
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Produce
Carrots
Earthy, sweet and woody. Carrots have a high natural sugar content that intensifies when heat is applied.
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Produce
Capsicums
Sweet, crisp, and slightly fruity with a mild vegetal undertone. Green ones are more grassy and slightly bitter, while red ones are significantly sweeter and richer in flavour.
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Produce
Spinach
Mild, slightly sweet, and earthy with a faint metallic finish. It has a clean, green taste that takes on the flavours of whatever you cook it with.
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Produce
Lettuce
Mild, slightly sweet and incredibly refreshing. Darker green leaves like Romaine have a gentle earthiness, while pale hearts are mostly about watery crispness. Some varieties, like Radicchio or Endive, lean into pleasant bitterness.
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Produce
Cabbage
Raw cabbage is peppery, crisp and bright.
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Produce
Cauliflower
Mild, slightly sweet, and faintly nutty with a subtle cruciferous peppery finish. While it tastes quiet on its own, its porous texture makes it an incredible canvas for bold spices and fats.
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Produce
Brussels Sprouts
Nutty, earthy and slightly bitter. When cooked properly, they develop a deep sweetness through caramelisation that balances their natural mustard-like punch.
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Produce
Beetroot
Deeply earthy, sweet, and slightly mineral. They have a distinct 'dirt' aroma that balances well with salty fats like feta or acidic dressings. Choose golden or candy-striped varieties if you want a milder, less earthy hit.
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Produce
Sweet Potato
Deeply sweet, earthy and nutty. When roasted, the natural sugars intensify into a caramel-like flavour with a smooth, velvety mouthfeel.
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Herbs & Spices
Chilli
Chillies range from fruity and grassy to smoky and earthy. Of course, they also carry the heat of capsaicin, which isn't a taste but a physical sensation of burning.
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Herbs & Spices
Basil
Sweet, peppery, and slightly anise-like. It has a distinct clove-forward aroma with a refreshing, cooling finish.
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Herbs & Spices
Coriander
Bright, citrusic and floral. It has a cooling quality that cuts right through rich meats and heavy spices.
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Herbs & Spices
Rosemary
Intense, woody and resinous. It has a sharp, needle-like aroma with notes of pine, evergreen, citrus and a slight minty finish.
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Herbs & Spices
Thyme
Earthy, minty and slightly floral with a subtle peppery finish. It has a warming quality that bridges the gap between savoury herbs and sweet spices.
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Herbs & Spices
Parsley
Clean, peppery, and slightly earthy with a hint of citrus. It doesn't scream for attention, but it helps other flavours wake up. It provides a grassy freshness that cuts through rich, fatty dishes.
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Herbs & Spices
Oregano
Bold, peppery, and slightly bitter. It has a warming, camphor-like quality that cuts through heavy fats. It is the definitive 'savoury' herb.
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Herbs & Spices
Sage
Intensely aromatic with notes of camphor, pine, and eucalyptus. It has a slightly bitter, peppery edge and a depth that can be described as woody or earthy. It is a bold herb that holds its own against heavy, rich ingredients.
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Herbs & Spices
Mint
Cool, peppery and intensely aromatic. It has a unique ability to provide a "clean" sensation on the palate. Spearmint is the standard culinary choice for its sweetness, while peppermint is more aggressive and better suited for teas or sweets.
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Herbs & Spices
Dill
Fresh, grassy, and slightly citrusy with a subtle hint of aniseed. It has a unique 'clean' sharpness that cuts through rich, fatty foods beautifully.
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Seafood
Anchovies
Intensely salty, briny and packed with concentrated umami. On their own, they are a punch in the face. When cooked down, they provide a deep, savoury foundation that anchors other flavours without tasting like 'fish'.
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Seafood
Salmon
Rich, oily, and mildly sweet. Unlike white fish, salmon has a distinctively savoury and buttery depth that stands up to strong seasonings.
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Seafood
Tuna
Meaty, rich and clean. It lacks the "fishiness" of oily fish like sardines, offering a dense texture and a mild, savoury finish.
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Seafood
Prawns
Sweet, mild and briny. Prawns have a distinct snap when cooked correctly and a clean, savoury finish that carries bold spices and citrus exceptionally well.
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Seafood
White Fish
Mild, delicate and slightly sweet. White fish isn't there to dominate; it's there to carry other flavours.
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Seafood
Mussels
Briny, sweet and deeply savoury with a firm but tender texture. They have a cleaner, more mineral taste than oysters and a richer, meatier bite than clams.
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Seafood
Oysters
Briny, metallic and intensely fresh. They taste like the specific patch of ocean they came from.
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Seafood
Squid
Mild, slightly sweet, and decidedly savoury. It is a clean-tasting seafood that acts as a canvas for bolder flavours like chilli, lemon, and garlic. The texture is the star—it should be tender with a slight, satisfying snap.
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Seafood
Crab
Sweet, delicate, and briny. White meat is lean and subtle, while the brown meat found in the body is rich, buttery, and intensely savoury.
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Seafood
Sardines
Bold, oily and intensely savoury. Sardines have a deep oceanic richness that is more meaty than flaky white fish.
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Sweet
Honey
Intensely sweet with a complex floral depth. Depending on the flowers the bees visited, you might taste notes of citrus, lavender, eucalyptus or even smoky caramel.
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Sweet
Sugar
Pure sweetness. High-quality white sugar should be neutral, providing a clean lift without any aftertaste.
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Sweet
Brown Sugar
Deep, mellow and earthy. It tastes like caramelised sugar and toasted nuts with a distinct hit of liquorice.
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Sweet
Maple Syrup
Deeply sweet with distinct notes of caramel, vanilla, and toasted wood. There is a subtle earthiness and a slight hint of smoke that prevents it from being one-dimensionally sugary.
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Sweet
Chocolate
Deeply complex. Depending on the origin, you'll find notes of red fruit, toasted nuts, earth, tobacco, or even citrus.
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Sweet
Cocoa
Deeply bitter, earthy, and complex. Pure cocoa is surprisingly fruity and floral, with a dry finish that can strip the moisture from your tongue if you taste it raw.
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Sweet
Vanilla
Floral, woody and incredibly complex. While we associate it with sweetness, vanilla itself is quite bitter. It acts more like a perfume for your food, enhancing other flavours and making sweet things taste even sweeter.
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Herbs & Spices
Cinnamon
Warm, woody, and intensely aromatic. It has a natural sweetness that tricks the brain, even though there is no actual sugar in it. It can be citrusy and delicate or spicy and bold depending on the variety.
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Herbs & Spices
Nutmeg
Warm, woody, and intensely aromatic.
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Herbs & Spices
Ginger
Sharp, peppery and citrusy with an unmistakable pungent heat. It provides a warm, zingy bite that clears the palate. Raw ginger is aggressive and spicy, while cooked or dried ginger becomes more mellow and woody.
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Legumes & Nuts
Chickpeas
Mildly nutty with a buttery, creamy texture once cooked. They have an earthy undertone that works as a neutral canvas for bold spices and bright acids.
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Legumes & Nuts
Lentils
Earthy, nutty and mild. They are sponges for flavour.
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Legumes & Nuts
Kidney Beans
Deeply earthy with a mild sweetness. They have a dense, creamy interior once cooked and a slightly nutty finish.
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Legumes & Nuts
Black Beans
Mild, earthy and slightly sweet. Their texture is what really shines—creamy and velvety on the inside with a firm, thin skin.
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Legumes & Nuts
Peas
Bright, sweet and earthy. They have a distinct grassy freshness that cuts through rich, salty fats like bacon or heavy cream.
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Legumes & Nuts
Walnuts
Rich, earthy, and slightly bitter. Beneath that tannic skin is a buttery, creamy nut with a mild sweetness.
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Legumes & Nuts
Almonds
Mildly sweet, nutty and earthy. When raw, they have a subtle floral note and a hard snap. When roasted, they develop a deep toasted aroma and a more brittle, crunchy texture.
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Legumes & Nuts
Peanuts
Earthy, buttery and deeply savoury. Raw peanuts taste a bit like garden peas, but once roasted, they develop a complex, toasted sweetness and a rich, oily mouthfeel.
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Legumes & Nuts
Cashews
Buttery, rich and mildly sweet. Cashews have a softer, more delicate crunch than almonds or walnuts, with a finish that feels fatty and satisfying on the tongue.
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Legumes & Nuts
Sesame Seeds
Mild, nutty and slightly sweet when raw. Once toasted, they become deeply savoury and rich with a hint of bitterness.