Food is a spiritual experience for all, even for those who don’t consider themselves foodies. The warmth from a steaming hot bowl of chicken soup, the chilly prick of an ice-cold granita, the “I can’t see, my tongue is on fire” heat from a spicy bowl of chili – these sensations conjure up certain images, memories, and emotions in our minds. Barb Stuckey, a well-known food developer who is the VP of Marketing at GT client Mattson, explores this phenomenon of taste and it’s relationship to other human senses in her book, Taste What You’re Missing.
Stuckey’s book explains the science behind why we experience certain foods differently than others. The awareness that one feels when eating something spectacular or when hearing hair-raising music is something unique to every individual. These likes and dislikes, these bearable smells and unbearable sounds, are governed by our environment and by our genetics.
Taste is ruled by the tongue, a treasure trove of taste buds that gets eroded over the years because of habits or illnesses that we pick up. Genetic differences, viral infections, traumatic head injuries, and aging are just a few of the instances that add to the loss of these flavor-packed clusters. Stuckey explores these variances, unraveling the mysteries of bitter foods, stuffy noses, and vegetable haters.
The book is a food-enthusiast’s educated answer to those food perceptions made over time. Taste What You’re Missing is taste demystified and a must-read for those who are intrigued by the relationship between food and humans. Pick it up to find out what kind of taster you are and finally understand why you’re better off drinking OJ right out of bed.