A matter of taste

[Fool]

Taste is an unusual sense. It is acknowledged that people will taste things
differently. Things that I like to taste may well be things you hate to taste.
We recognize that taste is a matter of opinion and not a matter of fact. We
even go as far as to say that other opinions (concerning art, music, etc) are
'matters of taste' when we mean that people will experience them in different
ways.

This is quite different than, for example, the sense of sight. We generally
expect that if we see something as red, so will everyone else. Of course,
there are those who are color blind, but we see that as a deficiency and not
an aspect of being 'normal'. Healthy people are expected to se the same colors
while they are not expected to taste the same tastes.

Of course, there are some tastes that people uniformly see as the same. Honey is
sweet, lemons are sour, etc. But there are some that taste broccolli as bitter
and others that do not. There are those who find the taste of vinegar as overpowering
while others can almost drink it out of the bottle.

What is interesting is that we have found *some* reasons for these differences
in taste. The taste receptors in our tongues and palates vary from person to person.
The responsiveness to different chemicals varies and so the signals the tastebuds
send to our brains varies. A 'super taster' has different taste buds than others do.

So what does this say about 'reality'? Since ALL of our information about the world
comes from our senses and we *know* that the senses can vary from person to person,
how do we determine what is 'real' and factual as opposed to 'a matter of taste'?
Do we simply forge 'consensus reality' from those sensations where we all agree and
say the rest are 'opinions'? Do we accept differences as 'personal realities'? And
how can we (can we) know anything about what is really 'out there'?

What tastes do you like that many others dislike? What do you dislike that others like?
For me, I dislike tomatoes and vinegar and really like sweet foods. My wife is
exactly the opposite. What is your experience?

I was a bit perplexed once; when i discovered someone didn't like tomatoes because of the texture and not the taste. it was interesting.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Where would Indian food be without coriander (cilantro)?

Hopefully just in India!

 

[Revoltingest]

I dislike the smell of buttered popcorn.
It smells medicinal.

 

[BSM1]

Then how do smelling salts work?

It's not the smell that wakes you, it's the inhalation stimulant in the ammonia the gets you.

 

[ChristineM]

Hopefully just in India!

There are many people (including me) who like Indian food but, hoe boring would be life if we were all the same

 

[exchemist]

Do different forms of government have different odors or do they all smell the same?

We don't have a government at present and a powerful smell of BS pervades the land, which will only get stronger if Bozo wins, as he is expected to do.

Governments never smell of roses exactly, but this one will be a real stinker.

 

[ChristineM]

I was a bit perplexed once; when i discovered someone didn't like tomatoes because of the texture and not the taste. it was interesting.

I know a girl who has similar problems, anything like a sauce. From sauces, cream, custard, baked beans in sauce, rice pudding etc made her heave and sometimes vomit, not from the taste but the texture

 

[exchemist]

I dislike the smell of buttered popcorn.
It smells medicinal.

I don't like popcorn much either, but that's because it squeaks on one's teeth - rather as I imagine eating expanded polystyrene would.

 

[ChristineM]

I had an employee once that did not like carrots because she thought that they tasted like soap. She was thrilled when she met another that thought the same. It meant she was not crazy. Then I ran across it on the internet. It turns out a select few having a strong sensitivity to a natural chemical in carrots. To them carrots do taste like soap.

And one's palette changes over time. Try to keep an open mind over food. You might love something that you could not stand earlier in your life.

Asparagus is another, about half the human race has the same problem with asparagus, a genetic trait that makes their pee smell. Some find the aroma revolting others smell it as a pleasing strong sweet scent.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Asparagus is another, about half the human race has the same problem with asparagus, a genetic trait that makes their pee smell. Some find the aroma revolting others smell it as a pleasing strong sweet scent.

My morbid post for the day:

Urine Smells Like Coffee: Causes, Treatment, and More

(The article tries to be more informative and science-y than gross.)

 

[Vinayaka]

I loath Marmite. Not sure if its available over the pond. Its a yeast extract sandwich spread made from the waste of beer brewing.

I bought a jar just out of curiousity. It went to the garbage, less about a tenth of a teaspoon. Nasty nasty stuff.

That said, I like almost everything, 'ceptin' meat as the vegetarianism has conditioned the taste buds over 40 years plus.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Asparagus is another, about half the human race has the same problem with asparagus, a genetic trait that makes their pee smell. Some find the aroma revolting others smell it as a pleasing strong sweet scent.

A small price to pay.

 

[exchemist]

Asparagus is another, about half the human race has the same problem with asparagus, a genetic trait that makes their pee smell. Some find the aroma revolting others smell it as a pleasing strong sweet scent.

According to this article: Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell | Science | Smithsonian. the issue is more whether or not an individual can smell the sulphur compounds in urine, rather than a difference in its composition, i.e.in how individuals metabolise asparagus. I can smell it but don't find it particularly objectionable - but then I'm a chemist, so fairly tolerant of sulphur compounds.

Apparently (I've just looked this up) it is methylthiol (CH3SH, methyl mercaptan) and related thioesters. Ethanethiol is one of several mercaptans used to make natural gas smell, for safety reasons. The human nose can be very sensitive to mercaptans, down to tens of parts per billion, as it is to hydrogen sulphide (H2S, bad egg gas). Which is just as well since this gas can be lethal at 300ppm or so. But these thiols don't present a risk, they are just related, having the H-S- bond.

Incidentally I find the breakfast cereal puffed wheat (or sugar puffs) also makes my urine smell, sort of toasted. I have no idea how common this is or what is responsible.

 

[ChristineM]

My morbid post for the day:

Urine Smells Like Coffee: Causes, Treatment, and More

(The article tries to be more informative and science-y than gross.)

Good article, but despite the strength of my coffee it rarely makes my urine smell of coffee. When it does it usually means i am starting a cold

I see your coffee smell and raise you a asparagus smell
Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell | Science | Smithsonian

 

[ChristineM]

A small price to pay.

Absolutely.

Can you get white asparagus?

 

[Subduction Zone]

According to this article: Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell | Science | Smithsonian. the issue is more whether or not an individual can smell the sulphur compounds in urine, rather than a difference in its composition, i.e.in how individuals metabolise asparagus. I can smell it but don't find it particularly objectionable - but then I'm a chemist, so fairly tolerant of sulphur compounds.

Apparently (I've just looked this up) it is methylthiol (CH3SH, methyl mercaptan) and related thioesters. Ethanethiol is one of several mercaptans used to make natural gas smell, for safety reasons. The human nose can be very sensitive to mercaptans, down to tens of parts per billion, as it is to hydrogen sulphide (H2S, bad egg gas). Which is just as well since this gas can be lethal at 300ppm or so. But these thiols don't present a risk, they are just related, having the H-S- bond.

Incidentally I find the breakfast cereal puffed wheat (or sugar puffs) also makes my urine smell, sort of toasted. I have no idea how common this is or what is responsible.

Good article, but despite the strength of my coffee it rarely makes my urine smell of coffee. When it does it usually means i am starting a cold

I see your coffee smell and raise you a asparagus smell
Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell | Science | Smithsonian

How often does this happen? You both hit on the same article almost simultaneously.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Absolutely.

Can you get white asparagus?

In the spring. I have never tried it. Any suggestions? We can now get asparagus twice a year. Right now the South American asparagus is in season.

 

[exchemist]

How often does this happen? You both hit on the same article almost simultaneously.

Oh I didn't realise I'd been ninja'd.
Not to be outdone, here's the one with the extra detail on mercaptans: Ability to smell 'asparagus pee' driven by genetic variations.

 

[ChristineM]

According to this article: Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell | Science | Smithsonian. the issue is more whether or not an individual can smell the sulphur compounds in urine, rather than a difference in its composition, i.e.in how individuals metabolise asparagus. I can smell it but don't find it particularly objectionable - but then I'm a chemist, so fairly tolerant of sulphur compounds.

Apparently (I've just looked this up) it is methylthiol (CH3SH, methyl mercaptan) and related thioesters. Ethanethiol is one of several mercaptans used to make natural gas smell, for safety reasons. The human nose can be very sensitive to mercaptans, down to tens of parts per billion, as it is to hydrogen sulphide (H2S, bad egg gas). Which is just as well since this gas can be lethal at 300ppm or so. But these thiols don't present a risk, they are just related, having the H-S- bond.

Incidentally I find the breakfast cereal puffed wheat (or sugar puffs) also makes my urine smell, sort of toasted. I have no idea how common this is or what is responsible.

Are we sharing brain cells? I just posted the same link to @KAT-KAT

I usually have country crisp, porridge or weetabix cereal or pastry (pain au raisins or bostok from Maison Massoulier in Sarlat (unashamed plug there)). So cant comment on toasted pee

 

[ChristineM]

In the spring. I have never tried it. Any suggestions? We can now get asparagus twice a year. Right now the South American asparagus is in season.

Try the white when you can, stronger flavour. Simply boiled, steamed, roast or bbq'd. Delicious?

Suggestion? The woody bit that you snap off and throw sway. Don't throw it away, make asparagus soup from the stalks then strain it.