Name: Pistachio Prawlongs, Red
Ingredients: pistachio kernels; sugar; cochineal; syrup

Why it works: Sugar and syrup match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,842 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓

Pistachio Prawlongs, Red

Ingredients

pistachio kernels
sugar
cochineal
syrup

Directions

In a preserving pan, heat syrup over medium heat until it nearly caramelizes.
Add cochineal and pistachio kernels, stirring to combine.
Remove from heat and break apart the nuts.
Coat the nuts in sugar twice, ensuring they achieve a fine color.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Sugar + syruptop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,842 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Pistachio + syruptop 19% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together136 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Pistachio + sugartop 21% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together1,233 recipes

Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).