I’ve always thought coffee shouldn’t taste like fruit. I’ve generally preferred chocolate, toffee and vanilla notes. Today, I experienced a brew that conjured up strawberry pie. The flavor was extraordinary, and my mind was stretched.

A mind, once expanded by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.

This post has little to do with coffee and everything to do with continually expanding the boundaries about what is true.

We muse often about the importance of challenging our own assumptions. We tend to think of the data received through our own senses as being factually true. Taste is heavily influenced by a host of factors completely unrelated to what is coming across our tongue, however. In fact, it may even start with our genes. From brainfacts.org:

How sensitive we are to sweetness, bitterness, or any other taste depends on our genetic makeup. For example, variants of one gene, TAS2R38, help determine how strongly an individual will be able to detect some bitter tastes, and may explain why some people have a strong dislike of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.

But those genetic factors don’t rule the day. If we think a food or beverage is more expensive, we’re more likely to enjoy it more than a “cheaper” version, even if they’re the same exact substance. The color of our glass, the shape of the plate, the material of the utensil, and the background music all influence how we’ll ultimately perceive what we’re trying. From flavourjournal.com:

Here, we report on a study designed to assess whether placing the culinary elements of a dish in an art-inspired manner would modify the diner’s expectations and hence their experience of food. The dish, a salad, was arranged in one of three different presentations: One simply plated (with all of the elements of the salad tossed together), another with the elements arranged to look like one of Kandinsky’s paintings, and a third arrangement in which the elements were organized in a neat (but non-artistic) manner…Prior to consumption, the art-inspired presentation resulted in the food being considered as more artistic, more complex, and more liked than either of the other presentations. The participants were also willing to pay more for the Kandinsky-inspired plating. Interestingly, after consumption, the results revealed higher tastiness ratings for the art-inspired presentation.

This resonates with me, day-to-day. This afternoon, I sat down to grab a quick bite. The menu had a kale salad with sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans and some red quinoa. I asked them to add a grass fed beef patty to increase the protein content. I expected to crush this meal for fuel and for it to be tasty, but not mind blowing. It came out looking like this. The flavors were insane, at least in part influenced by what I saw. I left that meal with a bounce in my step. My mood was elevated, and I was energized.

When our moods aren’t quite ideal when we sit down to eat, it can impact our senses. From wisegeekhealth.com:

A person’s stress level and physical fatigue can also affect how something tastes. One study showed that after mental exercises, some people had shortened durations and lowered perceptions of the bitter, sour, and sweet tastes while the duration of the sour aftertaste was shortened after physical exercise.

If you’ve read our posts for any length of time, you know that we advocate pushing boundaries. It is worth reminding ourselves that our tastes are ever evolving, not locked onto a fixed point. You never know when you might stumble into an experience that changes your perceptions, unless you’re not willing to take a risk. Leap outside your comfort zone, even if it’s only with your choice of morning brew.

Strong mind,

Kap