The Flavor Bible, my single favorite book for the kitchen, lists flavors and related flavors that work well together.
The authors also write about combining flavors together,
1. Understanding the essence of the moment, which comprises everything from the meal’s driving force to the occasion, to the weather, to the available time, budget, and/or other resources (ie ingredients, equipment)
2. Understanding the essence of the ingredients, which comprises their season, regionality, weight and volume, function, flavor, and/or flavor affinities.
(p24 The Flavor Bible)
Taking a closer look at what is growing in the backyard:
Arugula / pepper, bite, salt /
“Ace for the entourage, bring the Methuselah;Envy make haters turn green like arugula.” -Ryan Leslie
Berries / honey, flowers, ginger, vanilla /
“Strawberry Fields forever.” -John Lennon
Garlic / life, antiseptic, scapes /
“The combination of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice lifts the spirits in water.” -Yotam Ottolenghi
Lavender / savory, dairy /
“Woman is to feminist as purple is to lavender.” – Alice Walker
Lettuce / water, gentle, herbs /
“It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is soporific.” -Beatrix Potter
Mint / sweet and savory /
“They say that you may always know the grave of a Virginian as, from the quantity of julep he has drunk, mint invariably springs up where he has been buried.” –Frederick Marryat, 1839
Oregano / lemon, tomato /
“Pounding fragrant things — particularly garlic, basil, parsley — is a tremendous antidote to depression. But it applies also to juniper berries, coriander seeds and the grilled fruits of the chilli pepper. Pounding these things produces an alteration in one’s being — from sighing with fatigue to inhaling with pleasure. The cheering effects of herbs and alliums cannot be too often reiterated. Virgil’s appetite was probably improved equally by pounding garlic as by eating it.” –Patience Gray, cookery author
Raspberries / ice cream /
“We’re pickin’ wild mountain berries; That’s our excuse everytime
We been a busy makin’ merries; And pickin’ wild mountain berries.”-Bob McRee, Cliff Thomas, Ed Thomas Jr.
Sage / dirt, herbs, nuts /
“The vast sage desert undulates with almost imperceptible tides like the oceans.” -Frank Waters
Thyme / infuse, citrus, honey /
“Ah me! Love can not be cured by herbs.” -Ovid
Tomatoes / spice, olive oil, garlic, bread /
“It’s difficult to thinking anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home grown tomato” -Lewis Grizzard
Page, K., Dornenburg, A., & Salzman, B. (2011). The flavor bible: The essential guide to culinary creativity, based on the wisdom of America’s most imaginative chefs. New York, N.Y: Little, Brown and Company.