Simply steamed spinach

In the world of food, opposites attract. Choose your favorite: milk and cookies, tomato soup and grilled cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter — the possibilities are seemingly limitless. Including opposing flavors, textures, and colors in any main course is always worthwhile. Why not pair scallops with something bitter because they are rich and sweet? Fine Taste Club explores the scientific approach to food pairing and discusses how opposing flavors attract. Much of it comes down to "molecules harmonizing", where the more similar flavors tend to increase the lusciousness of each other on a molecular level. Including "odd-plate fellows" in the meal often results in a different approach to flavor blending.

Spinach may not appear to be an unusual choice because it is a common go-to. Spinach is an excellent foundation for scallops when spread out on a plate. Because scallops have a small surface area, a delicious sauce will often end up on the plate rather than in your mouth, making spinach an excellent sauce catcher. Serving steamed spinach with a squirt of lemon allows the sweet rug to be pulled out from under the scallops by opposing flavors. Bringing some bitterness to the forefront allows for deeper dives back into sweetness. Consider entering an air-conditioned room on a hot summer day.