Balance: not an average

The standard

A load-bearing proportion proves itself over time: across the course of a mouthful and across the course of ageing. What holds the scales level only in the first moment is not balanced, merely briefly coherent.

Criteria

• No component steps forward without being carried by the others
• The proportion holds across the entire course of a mouthful
• It remains recognisable at a changed temperature
• It is possible at high intensity too, not only at low

Distinction

Balance ≠ mediocrity: a load-bearing proportion can consist of high values, as long as none covers another. Balance ≠ finish: the finish is a section of perception, balance a property of the whole. Confused with inconspicuousness, restraint passes for achievement.