Time, the essence of taste and life - 时间的味道

In my journey to obtain a deeper understanding of food, something I didn't used to value kept ringing in my head - time.

Time is in everything.

In marination, fermentation, ageing, curing, brining, freezing, braising, proofing and everything else you can think of. Even thawing frozen meat/fish is best achieved slowly over a day or two in the lower warmer echelons of the fridge.

The meal is ruined if you don't wait for the ingredient to warm up to room temperature before cooking, and precious cuts of meat will be completely wasted if you don't give it time to rest after grilling/roasting.

Fruits develop the right flavour given time to ripen naturally, animals/fish too, if given the luxury to take their own time according to what nature designed for them.

A good meal, in other words, is often the taste of time. Patience is therefore, the true test of one's dedication to achieving the best.

Delicious, unforgettable beef bourguignon, courtesy of @carolparismikki.

Take this pot of beef bourguignon for example, it had been on the stove for 2 full days before I had my 10 minutes of enjoyment devouring it. If the cook or the guest did not have enough patience, the entire dinner experience would have been completely different.

Isn't life the same?

Isn't life the gentle simmer that can be more effectively-understood only after one has gathered experience and maturity through the accumulation of time?

Time is the essence of everything.

To build up a company from nothing to a reliable entity in the marketplace.

To foster a strong relationship with people.

To have sufficient practice to master a skill.

To nurture your little ones into responsible adults.

To win hearts and prove your credibility.

And of course, to cook delicious pot of beef bourguignon to make friends and family really really happy.

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在我找寻美食真谛的旅途里，通过视频，书籍，文章，跟厨师的交谈当中，有两个字一再被重复：时间。

时间有味道吗？尝得到吗？

时间彻底融入了食物的一切，从焖、炬、烤、腌制、发酵、冷冻, 都少不了对时间的掌控。连达到解冻最好的效果，都要通过在冰箱里低温长时间才能取得。耐心，也成为了烹饪最重要的品德。

A post shared by Eddie Yii (@strangerinbangkok) on Jul 16, 2018 at 8:39pm PDT

就拿这碗简简单单的台湾肉燥饭来说吧，如果不是在炉灶上足足两天，采用最好的有机猪肉 （也就是说猪只有自由活动的空间和适当的时间来自然成长），这碗饭也达不到我想要的滋味。

人生不也一样吗？难道人生不是通过长时间累积的经验跟智慧，才能好像红葡萄酒一样越老越香醇吗？

时间穿透了生命的一切、是万事欠缺的东风。

把一间公司从一无所有培养成在商场上可靠的品牌。

把孩子教育成对社会负责任的一份子。

把婚姻，朋友，家庭、各种人际关系经营好。

把一个求生技能掌握得得心应手。

让自己赢得漂亮的诚信与口碑。

这样样都急不得，不能缺少耐心与时间的酝酿。

时间有味道吗？

有。

那就要看你有没有用心去品尝了。