You Are What You Eat

According to this author, taste has never been considered in depression. I love the arrogance. Maybe not by western medicine but taste is an integral part of Chinese Medicine diagnostics. It is one of the Ten Questions, specifically: Of these five flavors which would be your favorite? Sour, sweet, salty, spicy or bitter? And your second favorite? Whichever answer you give opens a large window into you as an individual. Plus, we use the tongue to help in diagnosis; size, shape, and color being several factors.

Coupled with thirst, are you thirsty, how often do you drink liquids, what temperature, does it satisfy your thirst? Appetite, do you have one? Hunger is different from appetite, which is the desire to eat. As an example I can be hungry all day and not eat because nothing appeals to me as opposed to people who nibble at every opportunity.

By the time I get to temperature, sweat, and sleep I have a very good idea of what's going on emotionally and we haven't even gotten to the intimate questions. TCM understands that it is how you feel in relationship to your own body AND that there are standard norms which should be taken into account but aren't always the deciding factor. Not everything can be found in a blood or urine test, x-ray or ultrasound. Sometimes listening, looking, touching and smelling can be of use.

I love food. I like thinking about it, planning what to make, shopping for it, prepping it and cooking it. I'm getting better at presentation and the dishes are someone else's problem. When I go out to eat I like to enjoy as many flavors as possible and tasting menus are a favorite choice. I rarely finish my plate and I don't do leftovers, so little tastes of many things appeal to me. Dimsum is okay but all the great flavors come in the same wrappers and I get bored. I hate eating the same old thing.

That being said, I don't think I would enjoy smoky bacon flavored ice cream. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should and some of the pioneers of molecular gastronomy feel the same way. The new cooking manifesto.

I'm hungry and I haven't had my morning tea yet, I wonder what time I'll get around to making breakfast,