Perfuming Foods

[lamb_da_calculus]

A few days ago I left some apples in the fridge next to some fresh dill. Over the next few days I noticed that the apples gradually developed a vague dill flavor as if they were perfumed by the nearby dill. This wasn't really pleasant or unpleasant.

And then yesterday I washed out a container that had been full of orange and yellow bell-peppers (diced) and filled it with raw almonds. And now the raw almonds have a mild (pleasant) bell-pepper sweetness and flavor (the container itself still has a strong bell pepper scent).

There are two possibilities:

1. It's all in my head.
2. "Perfuming" foods is a viable practice, in which case I'm interested in seeing what other applications exist. I know a few restaurants have used this when presenting dishes (e.g. Alinea and that dish that rests on a pillow of lavender).

Thanks.

[luckyfatima]

There was a restaurant that had a large buffet on which they kept the bread basket next to fried fish. The bread tasted fishy! It was awful. I can't believe that no one else noticed that or complained.

[hotoynoodle]

it's not in your head. foods can easily pick up odors from nearby foods. it's why eggs should remain in the carton and not be stored loose on the door, for example. if you find it appealing go for it, but for me? a dill-flavored apple would go right in then trash.

[meatn3]

This happens easily with eggs.

Once had a customer at the grocery I worked at insist on using one bag for his eggs and package of sandalwood incense. He put the bag with items in the fridge and forgot about it for a week. He reported that the eggs tasted like sandalwood. He liked the flavor...

Sugar picks up flavors easily too.

[greygarious]

Don't bake chicken and apple pie at the same time. Learned that the hard way.

Plastic containers often hang onto food odors and transmit them to their next contents. I try to use glass containers, which don't, whenever possible.