Synopses & Reviews
Whether itand#8217;s a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, maple-cured bacon sizzling hot from the pan, or a salted caramel coated in dark chocolate, you know when food tastes good to you. But you may not know the amazing story behind andlt;Iandgt;why andlt;/Iandgt;you love some foods and canand#8217;t tolerate others. Now, in andlt;Iandgt;Taste What Youand#8217;re Missingandlt;/Iandgt;, the first book that demystifies the science of taste, youand#8217;ll learn how your individual biology, genetics, and brain create a personal experience of everything you tasteand#8212;and how you can make the most of it. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;A seasoned food developer to whom food companies turn for help in creating delicious new products, Barb Stuckey reveals that much of what we think we know about how taste works is wrong. And the truth is much more fascinatingand#8212;for instance, your tongue is andlt;Iandgt;not andlt;/Iandgt;divided into quadrants for sweet, sour, salt, and bitter and only a fraction of what you taste happens in your mouth. As Stuckey explains how our five senses work together to form and#8220;flavor perceptions,and#8221; she tells intriguing stories about people who have lost the sense of smell or taste and the unexpected ways their experience of food changes as a result. Youand#8217;ll learn why kids (and some adults) turn up their noses at Brussels sprouts and broccoli, how salt makes grapefruit sweet, and why you drink your coffee black while your spouse loads it with cream and sugar. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Stuckey also provides eye-opening experiments in which you can discover your unique and#8220;taster typeand#8221; and learn why you react instinctively to certain foods, in particular why your response to bitterness is unique. Youand#8217;ll find ways to improve your ability to discern flavors, detect ingredients, and devise taste combinations in your own kitchen for delectable results. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Taste What Youand#8217;re Missing andlt;/Iandgt;gives curious eaters, Food Network watchers, kitchen tinkerers, and armchair Top Chefs the understanding and language to impress friends and families with insider knowledge about everything edible. What Harold McGee did for the science of cooking Barb Stuckey does for the science of taste in andlt;Iandgt;Taste What Youand#8217;re Missingandlt;/Iandgt;, a calorie-free way to get more pleasure from every bite.
Review
and#8220;Barb Stuckeyand#8217;s book makes the complicated science of food and taste accessible to anyone. It is as enjoyable a read as it is a thorough summary of why and#8216;goodand#8217; tastes and#8216;good.and#8217;and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;Bandgt;and#8212;David Chang, Chef/owner of Momofukuandlt;/Bandgt;
Review
“Taste What You're Missing would be useful to anyone who cooks- with or without a culinary degree.” & #8212;Peter Rainsford, Ph.D., Vice President, Academic Affairs, The Culinary Institute of America
Review
and#8220;Understanding taste and flavor (and the difference between them) is one of the foundations of great cuisine. Barb Stuckeyand#8217;s book is an excellent primer on the subject. Her enthusiasm for food and science is infectious, and she explains with clarity and humor (and some neat little experiments you can try out) exactly what happens as we eat. Great reading for cooks, foodies and indeed anyone interested in the sensory world that surrounds us.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8211; Heston Blumenthal, chef and owner of the Fat Duck restaurant
Review
"Simply Fascinating! Compelling! A page-turner. TASTE should be required reading for anyone who eats.
Review
"A fascinating book that will change
Review
"This book brilliantly weaves the subjective experience of eating together with the objective science of taste perception.
Review
A helpful, systematic approach to developing a discriminating palate."
Review
and#8220;andlt;iandgt;Taste What You're Missingandlt;/iandgt; would be useful to anyone who cooks- with or without a culinary degree.and#8221;
Review
"Simply Fascinating! Compelling! A page-turner. TASTE should be required reading for anyone who eats. In layman's terms, Barb Stuckey gives us the tools to analyze and diagnose our food neuroses, as well as get the most out of every plate of food we consume. I think if we were better tasters as a whole, we would seek out better, and yes, healthier foods for ourselves and our children. Barbara confirmed for me that there is truly no need for "kids' meals." She also convinced me to put a paper reinforcement label and blue dye on my tongue." --Carla Hall, Top Chef All-Star, Co-host on andlt;Iandgt;The Chew, andlt;/Iandgt;and founder, Alchemy by Carla Hall
Review
"A fascinating book that will change the way you think of everything you eat or drink forever."andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; --Kathleen Flinn, author of andlt;iandgt;The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cryandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;The Kitchen Counter Cooking Schoolandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;This book brilliantly weaves the subjective experience of eating together with the objective science of taste perception. A must read for food lovers and cooks alike. You'll never look at a plate of food the same again.and#8221; --Ming Tsai, Chef/Owner Blue Ginger, Host/Executive Producer and#8220;Simply Mingand#8221;
Synopsis
Foodies rejoice! Malcolm Gladwell’s favorite food inventor offers a guide to the senses with advice on how to develop your palate and better enjoy the pleasures of eating.Featured by Malcolm Gladwell in a
New Yorker magazine article about the quest to develop the perfect cookie, Barb Stuckey is the food developer that famed foodies—such as Michael Pollan—turn to when they need to understand the pyschology and physiology of taste. In
Taste What You’re Missing, Stuckey shares her professional knowledge in an engaging style that’s one part Mary Roach, two parts Oliver Sacks, and a dash of Anthony Bourdain for spice.
Taste What You’re Missing serves up stories: seared, sauced, and garnished with humor and insight into our complicated experiences with food. First explaining the building blocks of taste perception on a physical level, Stuckey walks readers through the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salt, and umami. She explains the critical importance of smell and how the other senses—touch, hearing, and sight—come into play when we enthusiastically dive into a plate of food. She provides eye-opening and delicious anecdotes and exercises that readers can perform to learn, for example, their unique “taster type,” or the subtle differences between sour, bitter, tannic, and astringent. Armed with this new knowledge, readers can improve their ability to discern flavors, detect ingredients, and devise new taste combinations in their own kitchens. Keeping in mind that the only thing foodies like better than eating food is talking about food, Taste What You’re Missing gives such curious eaters, Food Network watchers, kitchen tinkerers, and armchair Top Chefs understanding and language that will impress their friends and families with insider knowledge about everything they eat.
Synopsis
Whether it’s a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, maple-cured bacon sizzling hot from the pan, or a salted caramel coated in dark chocolate, you know when food tastes good to you. But you may not know the amazing story behind
why you love some foods and can’t tolerate others. Now, in
Taste What You’re Missing, the first book that demystifies the science of taste, you’ll learn how your individual biology, genetics, and brain create a personal experience of everything you taste—and how you can make the most of it.
A seasoned food developer to whom food companies turn for help in creating delicious new products, Barb Stuckey reveals that much of what we think we know about how taste works is wrong. And the truth is much more fascinating—for instance, your tongue is not divided into quadrants for sweet, sour, salt, and bitter and only a fraction of what you taste happens in your mouth. As Stuckey explains how our five senses work together to form “flavor perceptions,” she tells intriguing stories about people who have lost the sense of smell or taste and the unexpected ways their experience of food changes as a result. You’ll learn why kids (and some adults) turn up their noses at Brussels sprouts and broccoli, how salt makes grapefruit sweet, and why you drink your coffee black while your spouse loads it with cream and sugar.
Stuckey also provides eye-opening experiments in which you can discover your unique “taster type” and learn why you react instinctively to certain foods, in particular why your response to bitterness is unique. You’ll find ways to improve your ability to discern flavors, detect ingredients, and devise taste combinations in your own kitchen for delectable results.
Taste What You’re Missing gives curious eaters, Food Network watchers, kitchen tinkerers, and armchair Top Chefs the understanding and language to impress friends and families with insider knowledge about everything edible. What Harold McGee did for the science of cooking Barb Stuckey does for the science of taste in Taste What You’re Missing, a calorie-free way to get more pleasure from every bite.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Barb Stuckeyandnbsp;andlt;/Bandgt;is a professional food developer who leads the marketing, food trend tracking, and consumer research functions at Mattson, North Americaand#8217;s largest independent developer of new foods and beverages. She and her HyperTaster fiancand#233; divide their time between San Francisco and Healdsburg, in Northern Californiaand#8217;s wine country.