What does the colour black taste like?
Our buds tell us it could be nutty like sesame, tart like blackberry, sweet like vanilla bean, menthol-y like liquorice, salty like olive, charred like meats and wood-fired bread or simply creamy, with a touch of the aquatic or earthy from the ground up - the colour black has quite the rep and has a lot to answer for.
Of course, Instagram came to show everyone what's what.
Ice-cream did its thing...
Then it was all waffles and tarts...
Before cheese whipped out its little black dress...
Its visual oomph still creates a buzz and it certainly seems like black never really lost its mojo.
Just when you think that's all there is, think again. South Koreans have dedicated an entire day to 'black foods' (legit!). is a day when black coffee sales are set to spike while singles get together and eat bowls of , thick, black soybean noodles served in a rich sauce of onion, meat or seafood.
So we're going back to black and giving the dark-side a delicious nudge back into the limelight.
The tall, dark and handsome . With rich coffee and chocolate overtones, describing this mole feels like describing a complex red wine. With its layered flavour profile, serve it with kangaroo, venison or with (pictured below) to truly appreciate its complexity and depth of flavour.
We've got and up our sleeves, but its the ease of that's got us hooked every single time. Grating truffles into butter is a great way to extend the truffle season and this butter will keep for 2 weeks - we doubt it'll last that long, though.
Truffle butter. Source: Adam Gibson
Although white and black garlic offer contrasting flavour profiles and culinary uses, the fact is all black and white garlic start life as the same product. “It’s another ingredient that can be eaten on its own, just as you would do with cheese. Black garlic is unique. It’s not a substitute for any other food.” So what happens when garlic and chocolate join forces? Dessert, that's what and is working it.
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What’s the deal with black garlic?
Chocolate mousse with black garlic Source: Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
'Black garlic = Motorcycle oil'
New things to eat this winter: Black ramen and ‘Motorcycle oil’ beer
Want to take your pasta party by storm? Then let the rich and popping squid ink take the lead like in this Traditionally, the blue-black ink of sepia, or cuttlefish, is used to flavour pasta and risotto in coastal regions of Italy, from Venice down to Calabria. It lends a black colouring, as well as a subtle seafood flavour, so get ready to embrace a little ink.
Squid ink tagliolini with calamari, bottarga and salmon roe Source: Sharyn Cairns
For a little extra TLC, soak and rinse your beans overnight, but if you're feeling under the pump then you can also use canned, rinsed and strained pocket rockets to your advantage.is the perfect example of what we've "bean" dreaming about. Succulent chunks of stewed beef are topped with black turtle beans, crispy bacon and coriander leaves. We're just going to leave this right here...
Activated charcoal is playing in your lemonade, your cocktails, your body wash and your ice cream - so it might just be here to stay. It's dramatic in colour so whatever it touches it turns to gold (well, actually black) but it's seductive and sensual look is certainly making a splash. Take which pays tribute to Cher's hit track "In His Kiss" thanks to the edible black shimmer, chocolate shards and a charcoal Swiss meringue frosting all taking the stage. #doyoubelieve
In His Kiss cupcakes Source: The Scran Line
Black sesame seeds are the bomb and they take on ol' faithful chocolate cake to a wicked place. Sure, you might get them stuck in your teeth and they're slightly more visible than their sibling, but its nutty and toasty flavour speaks for itself in .
Black sesame chocolate cake Source: Jared Fowler
If you like your desserts super-sweet and creamy then is the perfect reprieve. Black rice is cooked in coconut cream, then served with more sweetened coconut cream before being topped with caramelised banana. This Vietnamese-style dessert is certainly a memorable way to end any meal.
Black sticky rice with taro and caramelised banana
There's something so luxurious about a touch of caviar (probably the fact that it's got a few $$$$$ behind it). This simple Swedish canapé of prawn and black caviar toasts is an ideal accompaniment to champagne and will add the glamour factor to any event. #imsofancy
Prawn and caviar on toast (toast skagen)
Real olives, real caramel - check! Olives are more than antipasto and Greek salad and with that in mind, this is excellent on its own but it's the very special black olive caramel that makes it incredible. Yes, whole olives are used and you can use this caramel across both sweet and savoury dishes.
Lemon olive oil cake Source: Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
Generally speaking, when you're thinking or dealing with tahini, the colour black doesn't' exactly spring to mind. Well, black tahini is climbing the ladder and don't be surprised to see it appear more often across menus, on your plates and wedged into your bowls alongside your fruit and granola, like in . It will allow you to venture beyond hummus and it's extremely toasty flavour might just surprise you.
Maeve O'Meara is back in starting 8pm, Wednesday 1 August on SBS and then you can catch-up on all episodes via SBS On Demand. Visit the for recipes, videos and more.
Cacao & black tahini granola Source: Chris Middleton
