So I gots to thinking:
There’s probably a lot of untapped culinary potential in just listing out the (edible) compounds that trigger our various olfactory receptors and our taste buds.
Then mixing and matching them in a scientific way.
I’m guessing this is done already, but I wonder in how systematic a way.
How “elemental” have we gotten with fragrance and taste?
How much of a materials science understanding have we put into creating the structures in which we want to place these tastes and scents?
I’m imagining creating texture in a totally artificial way, from basic chemicals (at least as our theoretical starting point), as well.
That could get us to a level of elementality and potential artificiality and abstraction in cuisine that we haven’t reached before.