Deceiving Senses part II.
Have you ever told yourself that your senses are the thing to count on and that you trust what you can see, smell, hear, feel or taste? Well, then you will be surprised by how far you are from the truth.
Flavour perception and personal experience of any cocktail, food, or anything you buy is a multi-sensory process. It means that your opinions, decisions & memories are based on more than just sight and the visual memory of the moment. This process can be influenced by the appearance and even the texture of an object or just by listening to it's description while consuming it. Simply said touch, hearing, sight and other senses are also involved and can change the whole experience. You can learn a few tricks that can help you create more intensive experience for your guests.
What I'm going to write about in the second part of the Deceiving Senses series - is actually an extended text and explanation of a chapter Neurogastronomy & Gastrophysics I wrote about in my book. The first episode about Weight is here. This episode is dedicated to The Texture.
Many bartenders and chefs think about the flavour and how we experience it as a simple process of aroma & taste. To create a unique cocktail or meal they usually think about how each ingredient affect the final product and the design is just something, that has to help the product itself to be attractive. I get it, the first sense we usually use is the sight, that’s why it’s really important to think about the visual presentation, too.
But what most of the artists (cooks & bartenders) are not thinking enough about is how can texture of the product or service can change the perception of the flavours. The design helps you to sell the product, but imagine that you can create an even stronger connection to flavours experience with it just by using thoughtful tableware or glassware. Let’s brush up on what you know about touch and how texture stirs flavour.
Rougher textures invoke a sense of saltiness and bitterness. This was part of an experiment, where participants presented with rough and brittle like sandpaper cutlery, responded that dish was more salty than was necessary. Some even felt as though their mouths dried up after touching a velcro surface. And last but not least a woman openly complained that her food had a crunchy, and noisy texture.
On the other hand, a softer and rounder texture brings forth sweeter & smoother notes. A similar principle is applied in this experiment with guests, yet instead of a rougher spoon they receive a smoother one which can amplify sugar perception. The final taste can be even more creamy and smooth. This also works in visual stimulation, where examples can be found in an American company that produces chocolate milk bars. By changing their products’ original square edges to a more rounded design, they started receiving complaints about a noticeably sweeter taste. Customers deduced that there must have been a change in flavour. Research in the field has proven that it is possible for rounder shapes without angular edges to invoke a sweeter taste to the final presented product.
Is this the future for the bartenders, chefs in working with the flavours? Can we provide to our guests with various eating disorders the full experience? For example, when the surface of a spoon is rougher one gains the possibility to feel more saltiness from the final product without a guest being aware of it. Or by creating smooth velvety touch on our product to invoke sweeter and creamier notes without adding more sugar?
Also, there is an economical aspect, where people in bars and kitchens can save a lot of money and ingredients by purposedly using the texture of a serving or a product to stimulate the flavours. The volume of used ingredients & spices can be reduced, but the perception of the flavours will be similar. Think about the texture and visual element when creating a new cocktail or a meal. And remember the rule:
Square edges and Rough surface = Salty & Bitter
Round edges and Smooth surface = Sweet & Creamy
This is how beautiful is the world of the human mind and how easily can be our senses tricked. Stay tuned for another part of Deceiving Senses.
All of this can be found in my book in the SHOP - Physical or Digital version & I also created a seminar for those who are interested in the Neurogastronomy & Gastrophysics called Know What Happiness Smells Like?
