Super-Taster

[Son of Butch]

The Wagyu thread got me thinking about flavor.

Genetics determine the number of fully developed taste buds on a person's tongue.
Super-tasters (1 out of 4 people) have a heck of a lot more taste buds than average.
The majority of people have the 'normal' amount of taste buds.
Non-tasters 1 out of 5 people have far fewer taste buds than normal. They like to drench food in hot sauce, (to ruin it for everyone else) or use way too much sugar rendering desserts sickly sweet.

Supertasters find the flavor of some foods too intense and become picky eaters often avoiding...
Anise/licorice, brussel sprouts (I love 'em roasted) cabbage, cilantro, dark chocolate, horseradish,
mushrooms, rutabagas, soy products, strong cheeses, turnips, many green vegetables, sweet candy
and as adults coffee, gin, tequila and hoppy beers.

A neighbor and her son are Super-tasters, I'm not.
They were over the moon about the steaks from my 1/2 wagyu steer, while I just describe them
as good as any steak I've ever had. So maybe flavor quality is in the mouth of the beholder.

I have friends that love subtle flavors in some wines, but when I try them it tastes fine to me,
but I can't pick up all the flavors they describe. I guess I'm just average.

How do you rate your flavor palette?

 

[True Grit Farms]

I must be picky, never tasted a wine or beer that I cared for, if it wasn't for the side effects I'd of never drank a drop of liquor. I also like my steak rare to medium - rare, cooked with salt and pepper only. I pretty much eat anything, all food is good some just taste better than others.

 

[Son of Butch]

I must be picky......
I pretty much eat anything, all food is good some just taste better than others.

Contradictory statements, but well within the range of the average normal taster.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I must be picky......
I pretty much eat anything, all food is good some just taste better than others.

Contradictory statements, but well within the range of the average normal taster.

Been a long bumpy road for me to make it to average.

 

[greybeard]

Hungry people just don't give a crap about haute cuisine....
(Those hungry folks that live in certain parts of Appalachia tho, do very much give a crap about their hot cousins)

 

[alisonb]

Anise/licorice, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cilantro, dark chocolate, horseradish,
mushrooms, soy products, strong cheeses, turnips, many green vegetables, sweet candy, coffee, gin, tequila and hoppy beers.

All those in bold to me are bitter, don't enjoy them at all. Love sugar, even put it on veggies at times. Don't drench my food in sauces but really overdo fresh herbs. Palate rating...mixed up :lol2:

I have friends that love subtle flavors in some wines, but when I try them it tastes fine to me,
but I can't pick up all the flavors they describe.

How do you rate your flavor palette?

That is an acquired taste...usually ;-)

 

[Son of Butch]

I have friends that love subtle flavors in some wines, but when I try them it tastes fine to me,
but I can't pick up all the flavors they describe.

How do you rate your flavor palette?

That is an acquired taste...usually ;-)

Perhaps the enjoyment is acquired.
But I just don't have the ability to taste the apricot combined with a smoked cherry wood finish
that super-tasters actually do taste.

 

[bball]

Very interesting thread. The senses of smell and taste share the same receptors, so i wonder if super tasters are also super smellers? When I worked as a plumber, there would be times a home owner would complain about smelling gas. I could rarely smell it; however, when I used the mechanical gas detector, sure enough, there was a gas leak.
My wife's palate is much more sensitive than mine.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I must be picky, never tasted a wine or beer that I cared for, if it wasn't for the side effects I'd of never drank a drop of liquor. I also like my steak rare to medium - rare, cooked with salt and pepper only. I pretty much eat anything, all food is good some just taste better than others.

Whiskey was my friend. Never drank a beer I didn't like. Except for a Fosters once. Wine is ok but wasn't my thing. Glad those days are behind me now. Several years back, I replaced my liquid diet with 3 squares plus snacks.

I'm with you on the food Grit. Most of it is pretty good. Some is just better. I'm very fond of sugar. Lately I have all but eliminated the sodas and have tried to replace the chocolate with more fruits and nuts. Not as appealing but I ain't quite ready to die if I can help my plight.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I must be picky, never tasted a wine or beer that I cared for, if it wasn't for the side effects I'd of never drank a drop of liquor. I also like my steak rare to medium - rare, cooked with salt and pepper only. I pretty much eat anything, all food is good some just taste better than others.

Whiskey was my friend. Never drank a beer I didn't like. Except for a Fosters once. Wine is ok but wasn't my thing. Glad those days are behind me now. Several years back, I replaced my liquid diet with 3 squares plus snacks.

I'm with you on the food Grit. Most of it is pretty good. Some is just better. I'm very fond of sugar. Lately I have all but eliminated the sodas and have tried to replace the chocolate with more fruits and nuts. Not as appealing but I ain't quite ready to die if I can help my plight.

A couple of dashes of Crystal in a can of Busch and fresh oysters from the Banana river was my afternoon routine for years. Now I drink water almost exclusively unless I'm in the city. I can't handle the chlorinated water so I drink tea. My problem is, I eat to much.

 

[greybeard]

I have friends that love subtle flavors in some wines, but when I try them it tastes fine to me,
but I can't pick up all the flavors they describe.

How do you rate your flavor palette?

That is an acquired taste...usually ;-)

Perhaps the enjoyment is acquired.
But I just don't have the ability to taste the apricot combined with a smoked cherry wood finish
that super-tasters actually do taste.

I think they just make it all up anyway, to make themselves appear 'upper crust' to their equally snooty friends

 

[DLD]

Interesting question - not sure I'm a super taster, but I find most of the foods/drinks on that list too strong/bitter for my tastes. I don't know about all the subtleties in wine, most of it Is too strong/bitter to me, too, except for sweeter really fruity stuff like sangria. I do like spicy foods, but not super hot either. I have found that I prefer to drink water with a meal, at least partly because I feel like I can taste the food better.

I haven't actually tried a wagyu steak yet. Guess I need to do that and see how much difference I can tell.

 

[Son of Butch]

I find most of the foods/drinks on that list too strong/bitter for my tastes.

That does indicate you might be a super-taster or at least in the upper range of normal boarding
on it. Bitter is the word super-tasters use most often for most, but not all of the foods on the list.

 

[Nesikep]

I don't really know where I fall... In some ways I'm a non taster, in others I'm a super taster... I like spicy foods, though I VERY rarely add salt to anything (peas require salt!).. Unless something is particularly bland I'm usually OK with it.

Now for the super-taster part? In the morning I usually have jam on my buttered toast.. my dad eats smoked fish and onions... I'm VERY sensitive to onion contamination, as well as mold or fermented jams

Steaks? Fried, Rare, little pepper is fine.

 

[Son of Butch]

Salt - to an average taster enhances flavor, it brings food alive, reveals flavor and improves taste.
Super-tasters also like salt, but for a different reason, for them it reduces bitterness, some believe
salt somehow acts on or fills their flavor receptors to make intense foods more palatable for them.

 

[sstterry]

A couple of dashes of Crystal in a can of Busch

What is Crystal? Like Crystal Light lemonade mix?

 

[True Grit Farms]

A couple of dashes of Crystal in a can of Busch

What is Crystal? Like Crystal Light lemonade mix?

Crystal is still the best.

 

[sstterry]

A couple of dashes of Crystal in a can of Busch

What is Crystal? Like Crystal Light lemonade mix?

Crystal is still the best.

Gotcha!