A Belated Celebration of the Senses

Celebration of the Senses Day was June 24th. This is a day to fully exercise all five of your senses: smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing. I invite you to ponder  with me about the five senses from a Technicolor dining perspective.

All five senses are engaged in a dining experience (for those with  an impaired sense the remaining senses become enhanced/ more nuanced). Whether it's how the dish is plated,  the flatware used, the aroma of the dish, or noise level of the room, we are affected and we have a preference about which sense draws us or repels us.


Smell
I recently attended Woodford Reserve's Bourbon Academy. During the training we learned that personnel undergo sensory testing to determine how nuanced their sense of smell and taste is. The class was brought ten  jars of items to smell and determine what the scent is. The instructor told us that the sense of smell can be developed and that women tend to have a more nuanced sense of smell.  


Taste

The tongue's receptors tell us whether something in the mouth is hot, cold, bitter/sour, sweet or salty. What you prefer to taste is often  a matter of familiarity and preference.  I like tea because teas can be sweet, savory or bitter, prepared hot or cold,  and with the addition of sweetener, lemon, or other ingredients become more pronounced.


Touch
I've received quite a bit of commentary about my  dislike of okra. The primary reason I don't care for okra is how it feels (touch) on my tongue. In contrast, I like when spirits (e.g. bourbon, scotch, brandy) touch my tongue because the liquid seems to touch my tongue and slowly move to the back of my throat.





Sight
I clearly remember sending my pal BB a text with a picture of dish I was eating. Moments later BB replied that the dish was unappealing to her because it was monochromatic. BB also reminded me that the setting is also a factor - whether it's the plastic table cloth on a picnic table, the favorite tablecloth used for celebrations, or the 'special glasses' used when company visits it's the visual appeal the draws us.





Hearing
When I think of hearing I think of popcorn, the crunch of an apple and the crunch of fresh tortilla chips. As a child I loved Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory read to me  because I imagined Charlie eating the chocolate  bar with his grandparents, savoring each square.





Consider this: one of delights of summer is grilling, which can appeal to all five senses.

What's your primary sense?
What's your secondary sense?


May you have a day that celebrates all your senses!

Be  well,

Technicolor girl