On our ALES 204 blog, we were shown an example of an infographic on the current world food crisis. I was quite impressed by this article because I thought it was a effective method of communicating to a wide range of audiences, even one with little literacy capability. Recently, I just came across another effective method to share what foods/spices complement a food (See website for a larger image). The format of this tree has a center theme such as "Root Veg". The branches are corresponding root vegetables, such as a carrot. The carrot then has its own "mini branches" which are foods or spices that pair well with a carrot. For carrot, the branches are:
Apple, Chicken, Mango, Rasins, Beef, White Fish, Corriander, Biscuits, Ginger, Mild Cheese, Butter, Honey, Onion, Sour Cream, Lemon and Potato
This can help a cook plan meals with flavors that go well together, in an easy format. It's quick a quick and efficient way to communicate information. This visualization was designed by looking at 1000 different recipes and noting common flavor pairings.
I think this tree/web model could be used for many different functions. It could easily be something like a pamphlet on the signs of a heart attack vs. a stroke, and the branches could be . This visualization is another format that I will have to remember for the future when trying to target different groups. Even someone with little literacy could probably pick up on the main concepts by reading a few key words, and not having to understand 'sentences'.
What are your favorite food pairings?
Excuse me while I go make myself a honey, carrot dish tossed with mangos and a side of chicken...
Image from:
McCandless, D. and Tyrer, W. (Oct 4, 2011). A Visualization to Help You Know the Complementary Flavors to Use When Cooking. TAXI. Retrieved October 30, 2011, from http://www.designtaxi.com/news/350727/A-Visualization-to-Help-You-Know-the-Complementary-Flavors-to-Use-When-Coo%20king/
