In these modern times of fast-food restaurants & drive-thru's, where were constantly eating on the go, I personally think we've lost the ability to pay close attention to what we’re eating, and ultimately to make the right choices that will nourish our bodies.
Nowadays in our rush to get things done, I don't even think we even give a thought if we like the food we’re eating in the first place. Sometimes, we need to to slow down and actually savor the foods we’re eating. When we slow down, we can enjoy our food.
At our Pop-Up Scoop Shop at The Greenfield Weekend Market, we invite weekend market visitors to try and taste our carabao ice cream, and share an opportunity for them to take a break and enjoy the moment (and our ice cream!). I teach them "how to taste ice cream" so they can mindfully think where they are experiencing flavors on their tongue.
Thought I'd share this article below on how to mindfully taste ice cream from The Department of Food Science & Technology, University of California, Davis.
1. TEMPERINGWhile many folks like to dish out ice cream immediately after getting it from the fridge, it actually is best to take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. This is called "tempering," a step that helps maximize flavor release and enhance the overall taste.
2. VISUAL APPEAL
Take a good look at the product - at it's color and texture. Does it appear appetizing? Part of tasting any food is the impression it makes on all of our senses -- not just the sense of taste.
3. SPOONING
Using a spoon, scrape a small sample off the surface. Now unlike the way we usually eat, invert the spoon so that the ice cream comes into contact with your tongue instead of the roof of your mouth. While this may seem like an "upside down" way to go about things, years of practice prove it to be the most effective way of delivering flavor to the 9,000 taste-buds in your mouth.
4. MOUTH FEEL
Coat your tongue with the ice cream. Roll it around and smack your lips. Let the complexities of the flavor build and spread so you can get a full sense of its taste. But don't yield to temptation and swallow the sample yet, or you'll have to start over again because the tasting process is not complete.5. AROMA
Now close your mouth. Bring the ice cream's aroma up through the nose to sense the top notes and savor in the flavor's scent. Remember, all of the senses contribute to a food's taste, including your sense of smell!According to authoritative studies, the flavor in your food is only 10% taste and 90% smell. For that reason, if you want to experience more flavor in your food, smell the flavor's scent.
6. FINISHAfter you have extracted a definite impression of the product's taste, you can let it slide away down the throat and feel the taste sensation dissipate
Give it a try the next time you're having a cone or spoon of ice cream. Tasting your ice cream this way is like you were watching television in color when you were used to watching in black and white. You'll have a better appreciation for tasting the food, and eating (and enjoying ) your food will never be the same again.
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Have a blissful day ahead.
