Read this for inspiration

by Alice Lascelles

If you are a sommelier or bartender who gives even the smallest fig about what you're making, mixing and matching, stop what you're doing right now and go out and buy a copy of the new Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit immediately. This superb book, which I recently stumbled across, is a revelation, throwing light on why certain traditional (and quite a few more unexpected) flavour pairings work, and in some cases why they don't. Taking in 99 common ingredients from coconut to bacon, it examines flavour pairings for each through a chatty and  mix of science, examples of dishes from different cultures, anecdotes and recipes.

Revelations include the fact that tomatoes and strawberries are amost identical in their chemical make-up - something that sounds weird until you think that both match well with balsamic vinegar and black pepper - and suddenly the light comes on - AH YES! Of course, that makes total sense. Or that  a Pina Colada can be made with the creamy jelly and water of a green coconut (dispensing with the need for dairy products), while thyme and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven.

It's a completely inspiring read, arming you with the knowledge to think more independantly, and creatively whether you're mixing cocktails or matching wine with food. As Segnit says: 'One of the great satisfactions of discovering more about flavour combinations is the confidence it gives you to strike out on your own. Following the instructions in a recipe book is like parroting pre-formed sentences from a phrasebook. Forming an understanding of how flavours work together, on the other hand, is like learning the language.'

Go buy it.