Tasty : The Art and Science of What We Eat

A fascinating and deeply researched investigation into the mysteries of flavor—from the first bite taken by our ancestors to scientific advances in taste and the current “foodie” revolution.Taste has long been considered the most basic of the five senses because its principal mission is a simple one: to discern food from everything else. Yet it’s really the most complex and subtle. Taste is a whole-body experience, and breakthroughs in genetics and microbiology are casting light not just on the experience of french fries and foie gras, but the mysterious interplay of body and brain. With reporting from kitchens, supermarkets, farms, restaurants, huge food corporations, and science labs, __Tasty__ tells the story of the still-emerging concept of flavor and how our sense of taste will evolve in the coming decades. __Tasty__ explains the scientific research taking place on multiple fronts: how genes shape our tastes; how hidden taste perceptions weave their way into every organ and system in the body; how the mind assembles flavors from the five senses and signals from body’s metabolic systems; the quest to understand why sweetness tastes __good__ and its dangerous addictive properties; why something disgusts one person and delights another; and what today’s obsessions with extreme tastes tell us about the brain. Brilliantly synthesizing science, ancient myth, philosophy, and literature, __Tasty__ offers a delicious smorgasbord of where taste originated and where it’s going—and why it changes by the day. "A fascinating blend of culinary history and the science of taste" ( Publishers Weekly , starred review), from the first bite taken by our ancestors to ongoing scientific advances in taste and today's "foodie" revolution. Can't resist the creamy smoothness of butter? Blame Darwinian natural selection. Crave the immediate zing of sweets? They bathe your brain in a seductive high. Enjoy the savory flavors of grilled meat? So did your ancestor Homo erectus . Coffee? You had to overcome your hardwired aversion to its hint of bitterness and learn to like it. Taste is a whole-body experience, and breakthroughs in genetics and microbiology are casting light not only on the experience of french fries and foie gras, but on the mysterious interplay of body, brain, and mind. Reporting from kitchens, supermarkets, farms, restaurants, huge food corporations, and science labs, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John McQuaid tells the story of the still-emerging concept of flavor and how our sense of taste will evolve in the coming decades. Tasty explains why children have bizarre and stubborn tastes, how the invention of cooking changed our brains and physiology, why artificial sweeteners never taste quite right, why name brands really do taste better, how a 100,000-year-old walkabout by early humans is responsible for George H.W. Bush's broccoli-hatred, why "supertasters" like salt, and why "nontasters" are more likely to be alcoholics. "A fascinating story with a beginning some half a billion years ago...McQuaid's tale is about science, but also about culture, history and, one senses, our future" ( Scientific American ). Tasty offers a delicious smorgasbord of where taste originated and where it's going—and why it changes by the day. A fascinating and deeply researched investigation into the mysteries of flavor—from the first bite taken by our ancestors to scientific advances in taste and the current “foodie” revolution. Taste has long been considered the most basic of the five senses because its principal mission is a simple one: to discern food from everything else. Yet it’s really the most complex and subtle. Taste is a whole-body experience, and breakthroughs in genetics and microbiology are casting light not just on the experience of french fries and foie gras, but the mysterious interplay of body and brain. With reporting from kitchens, supermarkets, farms, restaurants, huge food corporations, and science labs, Tasty tells the story of the still-emerging concept of flavor and how our sense of taste will evolve in the coming decades. Tasty explains the scientific research taking place on multiple fronts: how genes shape our tastes; how hidden taste perceptions weave their way into every organ and system in the body; how the mind assembles flavors from the five senses and signals from body’s metabolic systems; the quest to understand why sweetness tastes good and its dangerous addictive properties; why something disgusts one person and delights another; and what today’s obsessions with extreme tastes tell us about the brain. Brilliantly synthesizing science, ancient myth, philosophy, and literature, Tasty offers a delicious smorgasbord of where taste originated and where it’s going—and why it changes by the day. Reporting from kitchens, supermarkets, farms, restaurants, huge food corporations, and science labs, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John McQuaid tells the story of the still-emerging concept of flavor and how our sense of taste will evolve in the coming decades. Tasty explains the scientific research taking place on multiple fronts: how genes shape our tastes; how hidden taste perceptions weave their way into every organ and system in the body; how the mind assembles flavors from the five senses and signals from the body's metabolic systems ; the quest to understand why sweetness tastes good, and its dangerous addictive properties; why something disgusts one person and delights another; and what today's obsessions with extreme tastes tell us about the brain.--COVER A Fascinating And Deeply Researched Investigation Into The Mysteries Of Flavor, From Our Ancestors' First Bites To Ongoing Scientific Advances In Taste And Today's Foodie Revolution. The Tongue Map -- The Birth Of Flavor In Five Meals -- The Bitter Gene -- Flavor Cultures -- The Seduction -- Gusto And Disgust -- Quest For Fire -- The Great Bombardment -- The Dna Of Deliciousness. John Mcquaid. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 275-278) And Index. A fascinating and deeply researched investigation into the mysteries of flavor, from our ancestors' first bites to ongoing scientific advances in taste and today's "foodie" revolution. -- Source other than Library of Congress