Are you a texture person?

[Merlot]

My understanding of taste and smell is that you can only taste bitter, salty, sweet and sour (and some say a fifth umami taste), and I understand (perhaps incorrectly) that all the variations of taste we perceive in food are due to our sense of smell being combined with taste. If that is true then it's easy to understand why disturbances or loss of sense of smell can so profoundly affect the taste of food.

This is true Greg and the umami taste is associated with msg.

 

[Merlot]

I have issues with the texture of celery, especially cooked. I also prefer not eat thick spaghetti noodles because of the texture.

 

[buckytom]

for me, smell is part of taste. as mentioned, no sense of smell and your tasting ability is way off or dead completely. i cann't seperate smell vs. taste, but i can with texture and presentation vs. taste/smell.

 

[4meandthem]

I don't like the texture of cartilage. It pops up intentionaly in asian dishes mostly.

I am not too picky about any food or dish needing to cooked to a certain texture.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

This is true Greg and the umami taste is associated with msg.

Again, I'm no expert in this field. I read stuff, I partly understand it, then later I forget more of it... And then maybe sometimes can't explain it well or I explain it wrong... (Plenty of disclaimers here.)

AFAIK the umami taste is associated with tasting glutamates, for example found in Asian fish sauce. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is just one of many glutamates, and is often associated in some people with headache symptoms. And of course it contains sodium which some people want to or need to limit intake. From what I understand MSG is a heavy dose of glutamates, but that other foods without MSG can have glutamates too.

From what I read it is not clear but possibly some people are able to taste umami while others are not. I understand this whole concept has some controversy associated with it.

 

[jennyema]

Yes! Texture matters.

We eat a lot of Korean food and some of the gummy textures actually repel me.

 

[Aunt Bea]

The only time I have a problem with texture is soggy bread.

The worst item that comes to mind is milk toast!

Also soggy pizza, panzanella, zuppa di pan cotto, french onion soup, etc....

You can put me on stale bread and water just don't mix them please!

 

[DampCharcoal]

Yes! Texture matters.

We eat a lot of Korean food and some of the gummy textures actually repel me.

I think that's a Western thing. I had a Japanese kelp salad once that had a great flavor but it was like chewing on thin rubber bands.

I've also heard that some Russian cuisines involve a lot of jellied meats, which I'll respectfully pass on.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

When you think about presentation think about the ultimate lack of presentation: fast food franchises where the sole presentation is to wrap food in corporate logo disposable wrappers, and maybe slap a sticker with "no pickles" or otherwise non-standard requests.

Of course their mission puts presentation at the bottom of the list. Their environment is not compatible with presentation. Yet I wonder if some of these fast food franchises' food would taste better if served in a different setting, and with good presentation, particularly when they advertise their $8 or $10 burger for substantially less (bragging that it's as good as an expensive burger from a fancier place) but in fact environment and presentation are part of enjoying dining.

I'm not sure if the word "dining" is appropriate to these fast food franchises, except technically.

So think of that when you think of presentation. There is such a thing as "no presentation."

 

[PattY1]

Are you a texture person?

Yes, I can't stand Shell Fish and Chick Peas are two things come to mind right away. I am sure there are a few more that don't come to mind as readily.

 

[Addie]

I haven't read the rest of this line, which I will eventually. But since it is an opinion, yes, I think texture is very important, even to people who think it isn't. For example, the many forms of pasta that are made with the same ingredients. I happen to like mine fine and small (in other words, angel hair beats thick spaghetti; a small elbow macaroni beats a huge stuffed shell). That's just me. I don't hate the others, just not my favorites. I've actually tried, really tried, to like raw oysters and clams (I come from a New England family who think they're great), but will eat raw tuna and some others in a heartbeat and enjoy it.

This is all about texture.

And I will eat raw clams and oysters but not raw fish. Scallops, crab and lobsters have to be cooked though.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Texture always was important to me, no over cooked rice and pasta, oatmeal, al dente please. Then I lost all my teeth...there are things I love but can no longer eat, I've had to relearn to cook pasta just past al dente. It's terrible not being able to eat some things because I cannot get past the texture of what I can chew. Shrek will not wear his teeth, he needs most things pureed.

 

[Dawgluver]

That sucks, PF.

Bananas gross me out. I like the flavor, not the texture, though I can eat them mixed in stuff. I love raw oysters, which have a similar texture. Never could stand macaroni noodles. I prefer angel hair pasta to anything thicker.

 

[Barbara L]

I guess I'm the "odd man out" when it comes to spaghetti! I prefer the regular thickness. Somehow the flavor changes when angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti is used.

 

[Addie]

When I lived in Texas, someone served me boiled okra. When I picked up that first piece and saw the 'snot' running from it, I barfed right there at the table before I could even cover my mouth or get up and run. Yet a couple of years later, someone offered me a small piece fried. I likened it to fried zucchini. Another veggie I can live without. No matter what the texture is.

I can no longer digest raw crispy veggies. And I miss them. Everything I eat has to be cooked at least to the point that if I can break them down with just my gums, then I can eat it. If I am out in a restaurant and have my teeth in, then I can tolerate a bit more texture than I usually have at home. But I do miss real texture in my food. Cooked celery turns me off completely, but I will add big chunks in stews so that I can pick it out later. I love the flavor of celery. I love OJ juice with extra pulp. To me it is like eating a juicy orange. I also found out that it is the pulp that keeps the OJ from doing its job faster when I need it for a sugar crash. Plain OJ is the order of the day. Therefor, I keep a small pint on hand at all times.

I love liver. I think it is the texture along with the taste that I love. Have eaten it since childhood. Also love liverwurst. I like my rice plain cooked with a small amount of soup base for flavor. It must have some bite. Pasta cooked just a smidgen beyond al dente is fine for me. But don't smother it in sauce. No wonder Italian grandmothers love me. I love a bite of hard cheese, but not grated. No wonder Italian grandmothers hate me.

I like my beef cooked rare, but my pork products cooked slowly til well done. And I want gravy on it. But not my beef. I like my fish cooked til just done, but no rawness should be in it.

As a child, my idea of the perfect meal was to go to the garden and pick veggies and eat them right there and on to the next one. Around three o;clock each day this would happen. Of course that ruined my supper. I was already full. (So how come I ended up with rickets?) I think I enjoyed the texture more than the taste.

I want my veggies cooked enough so that I can at least stick my fork into it. I want color on my plate. Serve my gravy on the side. I will make the decision on where I want it. Don't make my plate so fancy, that I don't want to spoil the picture. Make it pretty enough so it will look appetizing and I will want to eat it.

Don't cook my fruit pies till the filling is mush. Let me identify the fruit. And please have some color on the crust. Just give me diner food and I will be happy.

 

[Alix]

I'd rank the three: Taste, texture, ................................................presentation.

(That's a distant third)

Let me qualify that. If it's a dish I'm familiar with, either because I make it or order it regularly, presentation is not so important as I already know and love the taste and texture. If it's a new food to me, then presentation becomes less distant.

I think in most cases, texture is something you expect to be a certain way and may be put off if it isn't. e.g. Muscle meat generally has an expected texture. Organ meat does too, but it's different from muscle meat (as your son discovered).

Of course, if it doesn't taste good, none of the rest matters. Even if it tastes great, an unexpected texture can diminish your enjoyment.

+1

I wish I could have said it so well, but this is exactly how I feel.

Oh and Dawgluver, bananas ick me out too. I keep trying, but not succeeding with them.

 

[bakechef]

Texture is a big deal for me.

I hate anything mushy or slimy. When I met my partner he liked all his vegetables cooked to mush, I have retrained him to like them with a little bite to them. His mother cooks everything to death.

I don't like the taste or texture of fish. I don't like "chunky" tomato sauce, the mushy tomatoes are a turn off, if I am served chunky sauce, I will often mush up the chunks with my fork, and then I'm OK. I make my tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes. My mom would sometimes buy strawberry preserves, and the whole mushy slimy strawberries in the jar would gross me out, so I would take some out and mush them up before spreading on my toast so it looked more like jam.

I don't mind the taste of mushrooms, but dislike the texture. I don't care for okra, zucchini, summer squash etc.. I don't care for cooked celery, but like the flavor, so like Addie, when making soup I'll put in big chunks to take out later.

 

[Addie]

+1

I wish I could have said it so well, but this is exactly how I feel.

Oh and Dawgluver, bananas ick me out too. I keep trying, but not succeeding with them.

I love bananas. Eat one every day. It and a chunk of cheese are the only foods that keep my GI problems under control. Plus I need the potassium.

 

[Alix]

Bananas keep your BP lower too. I just can't do it. I keep trying but they are not on my list of fave foods.

 

[Addie]

Texture always was important to me, no over cooked rice and pasta, oatmeal, al dente please. Then I lost all my teeth...there are things I love but can no longer eat, I've had to relearn to cook pasta just past al dente. It's terrible not being able to eat some things because I cannot get past the texture of what I can chew. Shrek will not wear his teeth, he needs most things pureed.

I only wear my teeth when I go out. I don't have a lower plate. My mouth is too small. I simply cannot close my mouth completely when I tried to put in a small plate without the teeth. I have a child size mouth. (Do I hear dissention?) I asked my dentist to put that in writing for me. but my dentist ook a pic of my teeth before removing them. He then made my plate to look exactly like my own teeth did. Even with the two front ones slightly turning in. A lot of folks do not realize that they are not my natural teeth.