Taste of Contrasts. Bitterness repels and attracts. The flavor fascinates and polarizes, featuring edges and contours. Bitter ingredients add excitement to food, the aroma takes on a completely different twist, and the creations are anything but monotonous. Bettina Matthaei has embraced this trend with wonderful recipes. She writes knowledgeably about the fundamentals of bitter substances, their health-promoting effects, their significance for taste sensations, and provides tips for both beginners and advanced cooks.