In his new book, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating, Charles Spence looks beyond the food on the plate to examine what makes a meal unforgettable.
“Open wide!” she said, in her most seductive French accent, and so I did. And in it went. In that one moment, in that one movement, and in that one mouthful, I was taken back to the haziest memories of being spoon-fed as a baby (or at least my imagining of what that must have been like). That dish, or rather the way in which it was served, also foreshadowed what my last meals may well be like as the darkness draws in.
That mouthful of lime jelly at The Fat Duck in Bray many, many years ago was an incredibly powerful experience – shocking, disturbing even. But why? Well, I guess in part because no one had fed me that way, at least not in the past 45 years or so. Yet there I was, at what was soon to become the world’s top restaurant, being spoon-fed my three-Michelin-starred dinner. Well, one course of it, at least. Just enough to make the point that dining had become about much more than merely what we eat.
The pleasures of the table reside in the mind, not in the mouth. Cooking, no matter how exquisitely executed, can only take you so far. One needs to understand the role of “the everything else” to determine what really makes food and drink so enjoyable, stimulating and, most importantly, memorable. Even something as simple as biting into a fresh ripe peach turns out, on closer inspection, to be an incredibly complex multi sensory experience. Just think about it for a moment: your brain has to bind together the aromatic smell, the taste, the texture, the colour, the sound as your teeth bite through the juicy flesh, not to mention the furry feeling of the peach fuzz in your hand and mouth. All of these sensory cues, together with our memories, contribute much more than you would believe to the flavour itself. And it all comes together in your brain.
Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
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Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
Kimberley Moulton
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
Tom Wallace
We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.
Best in class
The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)
A taste of refuge
Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.
BE OUR GUEST
Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation
Barcelona BUZZ
A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.
HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.