Just A Taste

Taste every fruit of every tree in the garden at least once. It is an insult to creation not to experience it fully. Temperance is wickedness.
Stephen Fry

How many times have we looked at something on our plate and pushed it away with the fork because it looks funny or smells strange?  How often do we decide based on the color that we no longer like green beans or eggplant?  How often are we judging a book by its cover, or a food by its color or shape?

Can food be more than what we put in our mouth to provide substance?  Can we enjoy food in a way that makes it interesting?  Into a game?  Have you ever taken a Warhead and tried to see how long it would take before you made a face?  Have you ever grabbed a bag of marshmallows and tried to see how many you could fit in your mouth?  Okay, so these are childish games, but are there other games that adults could play?

Could food turn into a guessing game?  Could adults not guess based on taste and texture what had been placed in their mouth?  Maybe the first taste could be something easy, like a bite of strawberry or a piece of chocolate.  A second taste could be harder, like a marshmallow or mashed potatoes.  It could be something juicy and messy like a bite of peach or mango, or something neater like a piece of hard candy.

If we don’t try to have a bit of fun with new ideas, like turning food into a game, how can we truly experience anything fully?  Even if we’re adults we shouldn’t stunt our curiosity and creativity that we had as a child.  Being childish isn’t a bad thing as long as we balance it with the responsibility of adults when that too is necessary.

I smile and set the table, letting you peruse the refrigerator and cabinets to determine what we would have for lunch today.  I set table for two and stand next to you, asking if there is anything I can help with.  When you shake your head and tell me to sit down, I walk back to the table and sit in the chair.

After a few minutes I hear you walking up behind me.  “Close your eyes.”  I close my eyes and hear you put a plate down on the table.  “Open your mouth.”  I keep my eyes closed and open my mouth, not sure what to expect to taste.  I smile as a rich fruity taste touches my tongue.  “Don’t eat it yet.”  You warn just as I’m about to pull the fruit into my mouth to enjoy it.

I stay patient, holding my mouth open and just tasting the juice from the fruit on my tongue.  Its something citric, but I’m not sure if its an orange or a tangerine.  I grin as I hear that I may eat it now and quickly take the fruit into my mouth.  I offer a slight face as I taste the sour taste of a lemon.  I smile after I swallow the fruit bite.  “Lemon.”  I say with a smile, recognizing the taste.

“Open your mouth.”  I open my mouth again, waiting to see what you offer me next.  I frown a bit as I feel it fall on my tongue.  Its light and dry, drying my tongue a bit.  “You can taste this one.”  I pull my mouth closed and swallow, making a face as the salt hits the roof of my mouth.  I keep my eyes shut but look in your direction.  “Salt.  May I have water please?”  I request, wanting something to get the salt from my mouth.

I smile as I feel a glass pressed against my hand.  “Thank you.”  I say appreciatively and lift the glass to my lips.  I take a few swallows rinsing the salt from my mouth, but not quite the whole taste.  I smile and hear you tell me to open my mouth again and do so, wondering what I’ll taste next.

I frown as I feel a similar feeling of the next taste falling on my tongue.  It too is light, dry, and drying to my tongue.  I hope its not more salt.  I don’t think it is, but it wouldn’t surprise me to feel salt on my tongue again.  “Taste it.”  I close my mouth and smile, glad to taste that its not salt again.  “Sweet.”  I said softly, swallowing again.  “Sugar.”  I said softly, reaching for the water again.

I take a few swallows before opening my mouth again at your request.  “One more to guess.”  I wait for you to put something else on my tongue and smile as I feel its not some strange powder this time.  Its just as dry, but not drying.  I am about to pull it into my mouth when I hear you stop me.  “Not this one, wait.”  I frown but open my mouth again, feeling what’s on my tongue melt ever so slightly, though it wasn’t cold.

I grin and pull the taste into my mouth when you tell me I can and smile as I recognize the bitter taste.  I hold it in my mouth, letting it melt rather than chewing it.  “Chocolate.”  I say with a smile and swallow the taste again, getting some of the melted chocolate off my tongue.

“Good boy, open your eyes and let’s have lunch.”