Question

It's a good idea to add salt and pepper at the beginning of a dish because they

A. are easily forgotten at the end.
B. are best added before other seasonings and spices.
C. will help balance the heat of the dish.
D. can dominate the flavor if they're added at the end.

Answer 1

It is a good idea to add salt and pepper at the beginning of a dish because Option (D), they can dominate the flavor if they're added at the end.

Step-by-step explanation:

Adding salt and pepper at the beginning of a dish allows the salt to more gentle penetrate the food as it is cooked, so the flavors are more balanced. The same is true of pepper. The benefit of putting the pepper in the food initially is that it will more slowly melt into the food, essentially. As it is heated, it releases some of its flavor properties and this will let it meld with the other flavors. If these spices are just added at the end they are only on the surface and that can be overpowering when you take a bite.