If a cake recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar and you don't have sugar so you add one cup of salt, would you think that's stupid? Salt is the opposite of sugar, so it would be stupid. You might think the salty cake is good, but you didn't make it as it was intended and it probably tastes like shite.

It's the same with the peanut butter chile. The guy's recipe called for chocolate, which would add a bitter-sweet taste. He had no chocolate so he added peanut butter, an umami-salty taste. it's the opposite of bittersweet chocolate. He created the opposite flavor of what was intended by adding the chocolate. There is a reason the chile recipe calls for chocolate, just like there's a reason the cake recipe calls for sugar; it adds a certain layer of flavor that compliments the other flavors.

So yes, picking the exact opposite flavor of what is called for in a recipe is stupid. You don't substitute one cup of salt for one cup of sugar.

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Posted by Ole Geauxt

KnowLa.

Member since Dec 2007

50880 posts

Posted on 2/16/13 at 12:56 pm to jiggy0

quote:
is called for in a recipe is stupid.

it may be stupid, and not that it matters, but i have a feeling that most of us on here were preparing some decent dishes before the best part of you ran down your daddys leg..

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Posted by Powerman

Member since Jan 2004

162289 posts

Posted on 2/16/13 at 1:00 pm to jiggy0

quote:
The guy's recipe called for chocolate, which would add a bitter-sweet taste. He had no chocolate so he added peanut butter, an umami-salty taste.

I'm sort of with you but commercially produced peanut butter is sweet

That's not subjectively speaking. That's objective. It's sweet.

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Posted by Arkla Missy

Ark-La-Miss

Member since Jan 2013

10288 posts

Posted on 2/16/13 at 1:30 pm to jiggy0

quote:
It's the same with the peanut butter chile. The guy's recipe called for chocolate, which would add a bitter-sweet taste. He had no chocolate so he added peanut butter, an umami-salty taste. it's the opposite of bittersweet chocolate. He created the opposite flavor of what was intended by adding the chocolate. There is a reason the chile recipe calls for chocolate, just like there's a reason the cake recipe calls for sugar; it adds a certain layer of flavor that compliments the other flavors.

Here's my point, why does it bother you so much what he adds? If it goes against culinary science, and tastes like shite, so be it. I think most people can understand the difference in flavor between chocolate and peanut butter, and can deduce that one can't always be substituted for the other if they have any experience at all in cooking, yet we don't feel the need to call someone else stupid for having a different opinion, or trying something, even if it doesn't work.

quote:
So yes, picking the exact opposite flavor of what is called for in a recipe is stupid. You don't substitute one cup of salt for one cup of sugar.

Huh, learn something new everyday.