The Fruits of Collaboration
The foundation of A Matter of Taste is collaboration. We are a co-founded enterprise, connected by our shared passion for the cultural roots of food and flavor, and inspired by the potential to affect real change with our work. We’ve been told this energy is infectious, and, no surprise, we’ve collected some additional collaborators along the way!
We’ve learned first hand that the intentional co-creation of products and menus can boost innovation, deepen our knowledge, and cement great working relationships. As we dive into the season of giving and reflecting, this effort has manifested for us in the form of a few blends and concoctions, co-created by us and designed to add a little pizzazz to your cuisine.
Infused Floral Sugars
When we set out to design a line of infused sugars in partnership with Juanita Unger, proprietor of The NA Sommelier, we combined Juanita’s cocktail theory with Jennifer’s botanical research and Joanna’s flavor science to create exciting mocktail recipes. Along the way, we captured the essence of an idea in a glass, with balanced yet complex flavors.
Hibiscus Rose -Tart and floral, this sugar brings a pop of color and complex flavor. We use to make an incredible mock margarita.
Saffron Gold - Warm and herbaceous, we use it to add elegant twist to berries or a sunshine hue to shortbread cookies. It’s become even more meaningful to us made with WA-state grown saffron.
Lavender Blue - Floral and bright, this sugar delivers on taste and color with a lasting blue hue. We often use this product to underscore how our different personal preferences can be when it comes to flavor!
Heritage Herb Salt in the making
Jennifer and I share a fascination with herbs and spices- rooted in science, history and their ability to shift our perception. Many of the most widely used ingredients around the globe —like peppers, cinnamon, or garlic— create mouth sensations like piquancy/spicy or astringency, providing a scientific key to why we crave these flavors.
Countless global cuisines rely on these elements to highlight or balance rich foods, both sweet and savory. As we study different cuisines and blends, we challenge ourselves to taste from another’s perspective, trying to gain a personal insight into how others experience their world, and how they like it seasoned!
We see spices as versatile solos and powerful harmonies, just like the communication flow and brainstorming efforts of collaboration. Our core blends— Umami Boost, Nordic Spice, Hawajj, and Rose Harissa—are designed to be combined for even more depth, representing unique blended conversations that create a symphony of flavor and discovery.
Which brings us, finally, to Heritage Salt- a melange of sea salt and herbs with cultural roots around the Mediterranean Sea. Jennifer and I both trace our ancestry to this part of the world, and find ourselves drawn again and again to specific tastes and flavors endemic to this region.
This limited edition blend is the most direct fruit of our collaboration- a sensory mash-up of harmonious voices and harmonious flavors inspired by our ancestral memories.