Some Tastes are Cultivated

Do you remember the first time you had beer? Did you like it? I hated it. I couldn't think of one reason why anyone would put up with something that tasted so horrible. My friend who was already a year into beer told me it took him some time to get used to the taste. I wanted to know why he wanted to get used to that in the first place.

Today, I love trying out craft beer. I make it a point to sample the locally brewed alcohol of every interesting place I visit. This transformation has taken time. But I have realized in this process that some things need time. Some tastes have to be cultivated deliberately. This is true not just for beer but for other alcohol as well.

How many people do you know who identify wines as red and white only? They do not know the discernible difference among wines produced from different wine regions or from different variety of grapes. Even the cask you store your wine in makes a lot of difference to the flavour. This sort of appreciation comes only with time and experience (with wines). You must be patient. You will not be an expert at identifying flavours or enjoying the bitterness in your drink the first few times. But you will certainly improve.

Not many like alcohol the first time

This cultivation of tastes is not limited to alcohol, but also applies to other beverages such as tea and coffee. The ordinary person likes to mix milk and sugar in his hot beverage. He tastes only what he has always known. He does not know the real flavour of the tea leaves or the coffee beans. An experienced tea drinker, on the other hand, never adds milk. She adds very little or no sugar. And she sips her tea like she would her wine. She does not gulp it down in one shot.

Liquids are not the only things which ask you to have an acquired taste. The same goes for solid food too! Not everything tastes peppy! As kids, we are taught to enjoy sweet, salty and tangy tastes. Our taste buds develop this way. But this peppiness is not sufficient to enjoy many other kinds of food. As we grow older, we start enjoying blander varieties of dishes. I remember how I grew up tasting the masaledar peppy food, spiced with a lot of chilies. But today, I like cheesey and more neutral flavours. I do not miss spices in my meals when I travel abroad. I love their salads and bland rice preparations. I absolutely adore mushroom dishes - especially risotto. I certainly have acquired a taste for blandness. I still retain my love for those peppy flavours though.

Have you cultivated a taste for something new?

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.