A Standard For All Seasons?
Have you ever patronized a restaurant that
doesn’t have salt and pepper on the table? The assumption is that the food
is already properly seasoned, (seasoning primarily refers to salt), and
applying more is not only unnecessary, but may be offensive to the chef.
This implies that his or her amount of seasoning is eternally and
universally accurate. I don’t mean to offend anyone but I find such a
perspective incredibly presumptuous. Why? Because this position predicates
that everybody’s palate is identical. And that my friends is simply
ludicrous.
Biology, age, psychology, dietary history,
medical illness, and the action of commingling substances can all influence
our sense of taste. To begin, genetics determine taste bud anatomy and
physiology. A past study by the American Association for the Advancement of
Science suggests that about one fourth of the population possesses a
diminished sense of taste, while an equal number are bestowed with a
superior one. The culprit may be a singular gene. Based on this research
alone, fifty percent of the populace will assess the “properly seasoned”
food as either too salty or not salted enough.
Next, biochemistry adds it’s own influence to
the matrix. Sodium, along with potassium, plays a very important role in
our electrolyte balance. Salt sensitivity can be altered by the body’s salt
level and its metabolism of salt. For example, some salt cravings can be
due to sodium depletion. This is the body’s natural means of signaling your
brain that it requires it. Sweating is a primary means of deleting sodium
from your system. This is why they add salt to those athletic drinks. It
is also suspected that hormones, namely aldosterone, can increase our salt
receptors. Hormones, much like any other bodily chemical, can vary from
person to person.
Our sense of smell is keenly associated with our
sense of taste. Without our olfactory capabilities many foods would taste
the same or bland. This is why food lacks its vibrancy when we have a
cold. Variability in individuals’ sense of smell will contribute to diverse
senses of taste. Furthermore, aging can decrease our sense of smell and
thus our sense of taste.
There are a variety of medical conditions that
can have a deleterious affect on our capacity for taste and smell. Some
affect our senses indirectly, as with a cold or other respiratory
conditions, and some are actual disorders of the sensory system. Viral
infections, for example, are known to kill olfactory cells which do not
always regenerate. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 16 million
Americans suffer from smell and taste disorders.
Psychology and upbringing are irrefutable
factors in our dietary perceptions. Individuals’ likes and dislikes are
heavily swayed by the nature of the food they grew up on. The saltier the
food that you have become accustomed to, the higher the salinity content you
will probably require to sense your optimum amount. This is due, not only
to familiarity, but desensitization of our taste buds. The same phenomenon
occurs with spicy foods and hot peppers.
Moreover, at the risk of opening up yet another
can of worms, Americans have a proclivity for becoming neurotic and obsessed
about their food. Years ago there was research to suggest that salt played
a role in high blood pressure. In no time there arose a legion of anti-salt
proponents. Now there is reason to believe that dietary sodium intake has
no direct bearing on hypertension. Nevertheless, fanaticism dies hard.
There are still many salt-phobes lurking out there and you can be sure their
fears are controlling their sense of taste, and subsequently their appraisal
of any dish’s seasoning.
Finally, the presence of other foods and/or
substances can regulate your taste perception. Sugar is often added to a
variety of preparations to counterbalance the salt. Some foods contain
substances which actually change our taste perception of other elements.
Artichokes for example, harbor a compound known as cynarin which make other
foods, and much to the dismay of sommeliers the world over, even wine taste
sweeter.
So what is a chef to do? He or she is left with
the challenge of finding that elusive degree of seasoning that will satisfy
as many people as possible. This is no small task. I’ll never forget the
day I was preparing dinner for a group of friends and gave each a
preliminary taste to assess saltiness. One thought it needed more, one
thought it was right on, and a third felt it was too salty. Talk about a
culinary nightmare. Salt can always be added to food but never removed.
Thus, the safest bet is salting somewhat conservatively and allowing
individuals to add more if they like. And that’s why it’s called “table”
salt.
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