Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Alsace

Exquisite Alsace flavour pairings and recipes, revealed through data science.
Alsace instantly conjures the evocative embrace of lychee and the bracing kiss of pear, but beneath its sweetness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as peach, blossom, and hints of rose that contribute remarkable depth. The key to a remarkable combination lies in appreciating how these notes work together.
To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the earthy, chalky calcium sulfate in bicarbonate of soda can ground Alsace, and how sesame seed's sesamol notes forge a beautiful synergy with its exotic sweetness.
Flavour Profile Of Alsace Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Alsace: Lychee, Peach, Pear, Blossom, Honeyed, Rose, Elderflower, Flint, Ficus, Passionfruit, Apricot, Neroli, Jasmine, Malic, Plum, Pineapple, Raspberry, Caramel, Mango, Blackberry, Oxidized, Cherry, Lavender, Ginger, Glutamic, Maple, Resinous, Raisin, Melon, Grapefruit, Proteolytic, Hibiscus, Vanillic, Cinnamon, Poivre, Almond, Hazelnut, Oaky, Limestone
An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like floral, nectarous, and acidic, combined with its unique aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim to include a broad variety of core characteristics for a balanced dish. And choose aroma notes that complement each other for a harmonious combination.
The Flavour Code
To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.
The Flavours That Harmonise With Lychee Notes
Strength of Association Between Flavours
The flavours most associated with lychee notes are: Graphite, Citric, Limestone, Gentian, Sesame, Lacteal, Seedy, Fishy, Ginger, Bergamot, Almond, Acetic, Lactic, Cinnamon, Capsaicin.
Our analysis reveals a strong connection between lychee and sesame flavours. Since Alsace has a distinct lychee flavour, try pairing it with the sesame flavours of sesame seed.
The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing Alsace with sesame seed.
Harmonious Flavours Of Alsace
Just as our analysis shows that lychee and pencil-lead flavours are often combined, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the notes present in Alsace. E.g. the peachy notes of Alsace are often used with koji and orangey notes.
The accents complementary to the various aromas of Alsace can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.
Flavour Profile Of Alsace And Its Complementary Flavour Notes
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Alsace: Lychee, Peach, Pear, Blossom, Honeyed, Rose, Elderflower, Flint, Ficus, Passionfruit, Apricot, Neroli, Jasmine, Malic, Plum, Pineapple, Raspberry, Caramel, Mango, Blackberry, Oxidized, Cherry, Lavender, Ginger, Glutamic, Maple, Resinous, Raisin, Melon, Grapefruit, Proteolytic, Hibiscus, Vanillic, Cinnamon, Poivre, Almond, Hazelnut, Oaky, Limestone
Matching Flavour Profiles
The flavour profile of bicarbonate of soda offers many of the aromas complementary to Alsace, including limestone aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of bicarbonate of soda has many of the of the features that are complementary to Alsace, they are likely to pair very well together.
Prominent Flavour Notes Of Bicarbonate Of Soda Are Represented By Longer Bars
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Bicarbonate of soda: Limestone, Saline
The chart above shows the unique profile of bicarbonate of soda across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Alsace.
Recipes That Pair Alsace With Bicarbonate Of Soda
Linked Flavour Notes
Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Alsace, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.
Alsace's Harmonious Flavours And Complementary Ingredients
Alsace's Strongest Flavours
Complementary Flavours
Ingredients with Complementary Flavours
Flavour groups:
Nectarous
Acidic
Floral
Spice
Vegetal
Maillard
Earthy
Carnal
The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Alsace, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma notes complementary to Alsace.
Prominent Pairings
Our analysis identifies dishes that pair well with Alsace and highlights the prominent ingredient combinations within these recipes. Key pairs include ginger and coriander offering bright spice, fennel and carrot for sweetness, onion and bay leaf for laurelled depth, and white wine and shallot for a complex cepaceous undertone. Explore these combinations to unlock Alsace's hidden complexity, reveal deep nuance, and elevate its vibrant character.
Ingredient Combinations Among Dishes That Pair With Alsace
Flavour groups:
Sweet
Sour
Herbal
Spice
Vegetal
Bitter
Umami
Which Fruit Go With Alsace?
Choose fruit that ground its sweetness or ground its golden sweetness. Lemon and lemon zest offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Orange add a gentle, oniony brightness, while blood orange introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.
Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with Alsace's tartness. The addition of red bell pepper, with its subtle capsicum notes, can complement the sour apple beautifully, while lingonberry lends a mild pepper aroma.
How Flavonomics Works
We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.
Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.
Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.
We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.
These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Alsace), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.
Explore More
Discover more ingredient profiles and expand your culinary knowledge. Each ingredient page offers detailed analysis of flavour profiles, pairing insights, and culinary applications.
The content on our analysis blog is semi-automated. All of the words were manually written by a human, but the content is updated dynamically based on the data.