Where Does Your Taste Come From?

We have been taught in school about our five senses: taste, smell, touch, sight and hearing. Two of these work closely together and one is not far behind. First is our sense of smell. Yes, you begin to taste even as your raise food to your mouth. The aroma of food causes a reaction even before it reaches your tongue. Once your taste buds have a chance to decide if this is good or not, the sensation of texture finishes off your full experience. Sometimes your eyes may have a strong negative impact and the whole experience might be lost.

     Not only does our body tell us about taste, but our culture and upbringing also effect how we learn about food. The region where we spent the most time in during our formative years imprinted a certain flavor preference that can last a lifetime. 

     As babies, our mothers introduce us to one flavor or food at a time. Yes, they are testing for possible allergies, but also our tongue is learning about new texture and how to swallow solid food. But even babies will seem to reject certain items and accept others. Sometimes, while introducing a new food, a mother might inadvertently pass on a dislike for something that she does not care for. We love adding applesauce to the baby’s dinner, but sweet potatoes not so much.

     As the family matures we learn about family favorites that we can all love together. These become our comfort foods – and Mom knows what to cook when we need it. If we want to honor certain family member we ask what their favorite food is and prepare it in for them. Many times this was a birthday dinner. We also associate certain foods with individual holidays. It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce, etc.

     If you venture very far away to school in another state, relocate for a job or a new person in your life you encounter new and adventuresome flavors and foods. You don’t have to leave the US to experience a diverse spectrum of food. Flavors vary widely from East Coast to West Coast. North to South we see it and talk about how they cook. I grew up on the Southeast Coast and ate a lot of pork. To this day, pork loin roast is my favorite. When mother asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner it was pork loin roast, pork gravy, sweet potatoes, stewed apples and baby lima beans, plus yellow cake with chocolate icing for dessert. 

     Comfort food is just what it says it is. Food that gives you a good feeling. As far as I can tell, the most renowned comfort food is mac and cheese. Think about it: it’s is a warm yellow food almost smiling at you before your taste it, you can smell that wonderful cheese aroma before you put it in your mouth. Once in your mouth the warm smooth texture slides across your tongue and the full flavor kicks in. You can’t help but feel better and smile at the person who made it for you.

     As you grow and your taste buds mature you will have many opportunities to test your senses. Do not reject anything too hastily, but certainly your can approach with caution. One contentious food of late is cilantro. People like it or don’t like it, there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. I recently read that if you are served cilantro in a very ground up texture the taste is softer and much more palatable. If you try it mixed in rather than just sprinkled on top you might find you would enjoy this flavor. I think it does add to the over all dish. Just like arugula. I did not like it at first but now enjoy it mixed in salads and have been growing it my modest garden the past two years.

            I’d love to hear your food stories and questions. Email me at patschat@livingston.net.

Cool Season Herbs

Not all herbs grow year round. Cilantro is one of the cool weather herbs. It thrives in the fall and lasts into mid-summer. When the heat starts taking its toll on the rest of us, cilantro will start to bolt. This means it will put up a thicker stalk and form a flower or bloom. Allow your plant to follow its natural course, so it can form seeds. To save the seeds, you must allow them to dry. Remove the bloom and place in a zip lock plastic bag. Do not seal it up until the plant is completely dried. Once dry, close and shake until all seeds drop. You now have next year’s crop.

Cilantro is an acquired taste, some never acquire it, but others really like it. We see it used in Mexican and South American dishes. Cilantro and parsley are hard to tell apart by just looking. A smart produce man will not place them side by side. If in doubt, just taste. You will know the difference right away. Cilantro has a sharper flavor than parsley.

Curly Parsley

Parsley will grow year round in our climate, but will slow down in the heat of summer. If kept in the shade during the hot months, it will survive. Italian flat leaf parsley is better for its culinary attributes, but the curly style is usually chosen for appearance to use as a garnish. Both will work equally well. Grow in pots so you can move it around in the summer months. Or plant it in your flowerbeds as a boarder. Its bright, fresh green color adds a nice contrast to low-growing flowers.

Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

Basil does well in the cooler weather, but if planted in the right light shade will make it through most of the summer. It must be kept well-watered. I have a couple of friends who harvested basil all summer. Fresh basil is a great plant to have on hand at a moments notice, because it is very tender and wilts rapidly once picked. Store-bought basil is often limp and withered. When tomatoes are available this herb adds zest to any dish. If you are lucky enough to have a bumper crop just keep picking and allow to dry. Crumble in your hands and store in small jars. This will be much fresher than anything you can buy. Just sprinkle over any store-bought pizza to kick it up a notch (as Emeril would say). Any tomato dish welcomes basil as an additive but green beans also like basil. Just toss a little in at the end of the cooking time. 

When picking basil, cut just above the lowest leaf cluster. This will allow the plant to form two new shoots on ether side. Do not allow the stalks to grow too tall as the leaves will mature and become strong in taste. If small flowers start to form pinch them off. Or, pick the whole top whorl of leaves and flowers and use for a garnish.

Two herbs that are pretty much foolproof are rosemary and oregano. If you are new to trying herbs plant these and you will feel good about your first efforts. They grow year round in our climate -- East Texas up to zone eight. For other climates, check with your local agriculture agent. They should have all the information you need. There are several varieties of each herb, just go to a reputable dealer or grower. I like to find someone who specializes in herbs. These people usually have the best plants and lots of advice for your area.

Get out there and clean out some pots or a space in one of your beds. I am looking forward to using sage I have growing in my Thanksgiving dressing and trimming some of the dishes with other fresh herbs.

Let me hear what you are growing! E-mail me at PatsChat@livingston.net.