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Tastes from our past can spark memories, trigger pain or boost wellbeing. Here’s how to embrace food nostalgia

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-angus-1542552">Doug Angus</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-simpson-1542551">Kate Simpson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Have you ever tried to bring back fond memories by eating or drinking something unique to that time and place? It could be a Pina Colada that recalls an island holiday? Or a steaming bowl of pho just like the one you had in Vietnam? Perhaps eating a favourite dish reminds you of a lost loved one – like the sticky date pudding Nanna used to make? If you have, you have tapped into <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2022.2142525">food-evoked nostalgia</a>. As researchers, we are exploring how eating and drinking certain things from your past may be important for your mood and mental health. <h2>Bittersweet longing</h2> First named in 1688 by Swiss medical student, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44437799">Johannes Hoffer</a>, <a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12070">nostalgia</a> is that bittersweet, sentimental longing for the past. It is experienced <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00595.x">universally</a> across different cultures and lifespans from childhood into older age. But nostalgia does not just involve positive or happy memories – we can also experience nostalgia for <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.91.5.975">sad and unhappy moments</a> in our lives. In the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">short and long term</a>, nostalgia can positively impact our health by improving <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0025167">mood</a> and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">wellbeing</a>, fostering <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0017597">social connection</a> and increasing quality of life. It can also trigger feelings of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">loneliness or meaninglessness</a>. We can use nostalgia to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0025167">turn around a negative mood</a> or enhance our sense of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Femo0000817">self, meaning and positivity</a>. Research suggests nostalgia alters activity in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/17/12/1131/6585517">brain regions associated with reward processing</a> – the same areas involved when we seek and receive things we like. This could explain the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X22002445?via%3Dihub">positive feelings</a> it can bring. Nostalgia can also increase feelings of loneliness and sadness, particularly if the memories highlight dissatisfaction, grieving, loss, or wistful feelings for the past. This is likely due to activation of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22002445?casa_token=V31ORDWcsx4AAAAA:Vef9hiwUz9506f5PYGsXH-JxCcnsptQnVPNaAGares2xTU5JbKSHakwGpLxSRO2dNckrdFGubA">brain areas</a> such as the amygdala, responsible for processing emotions and the prefrontal cortex that helps us integrate feelings and memories and regulate emotion. <h2>How to get back there</h2> There are several ways we can <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2006-20034-013.html">trigger</a> or tap into nostalgia. Conversations with family and friends who have shared experiences, unique objects like photos, and smells can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X23000076">transport us back</a> to old times or places. So can a favourite song or old TV show, reunions with former classmates, even social media <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/24/8284703/facebook-on-this-day-nostalgia-recap">posts and anniversaries</a>. What we eat and drink can trigger <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-06-2012-0027/full/html">food-evoked nostalgia</a>. For instance, when we think of something as “<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-we-crave-comfort-food-in-winter-118776">comfort food</a>”, there are likely elements of nostalgia at play. Foods you found comforting as a child can evoke memories of being cared for and nurtured by loved ones. The form of these foods and the stories we tell about them may have been handed down through generations. Food-evoked nostalgia can be very powerful because it engages multiple senses: taste, smell, texture, sight and sound. The sense of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09658211.2013.876048?casa_token=wqShWbRXJaYAAAAA%3AqJabgHtEbPtEQp7qHnl7wOb527bpGxzIJ_JwQX8eAyq1IrM_HQFIng8ELAMyuoFoeZyiX1zeJTPf">smell</a> is closely linked to the limbic system in the brain responsible for emotion and memory making food-related memories particularly vivid and emotionally charged. But, food-evoked nostalgia can also give rise to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.873">negative memories</a>, such as of being forced to eat a certain vegetable you disliked as a child, or a food eaten during a sad moment like a loved ones funeral. Understanding why these foods <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2022.2142525?casa_token=16kAPHUQTukAAAAA%3A9IDvre8yUT8UsuiR_ltsG-3qgE2sdkIFgcrdH3T5EYbVEP9JZwPcsbmsPLT6Kch5EFFs9RPsMTNn">evoke negative memories</a> could help us process and overcome some of our adult food aversions. Encountering these foods in a positive light may help us reframe the memory associated with them. <h2>What people told us about food and nostalgia</h2> Recently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.873">we interviewed eight Australians</a> and asked them about their experiences with food-evoked nostalgia and the influence on their mood. We wanted to find out whether they experienced food-evoked nostalgia and if so, what foods triggered pleasant and unpleasant memories and feelings for them. They reported they could use foods that were linked to times in their past to manipulate and influence their mood. Common foods they described as particularly nostalgia triggering were homemade meals, foods from school camp, cultural and ethnic foods, childhood favourites, comfort foods, special treats and snacks they were allowed as children, and holiday or celebration foods. One participant commented: <blockquote> I guess part of this nostalgia is maybe […] The healing qualities that food has in mental wellbeing. I think food heals for us. </blockquote> Another explained <blockquote> I feel really happy, and I guess fortunate to have these kinds of foods that I can turn to, and they have these memories, and I love the feeling of nostalgia and reminiscing and things that remind me of good times. </blockquote> Understanding food-evoked nostalgia is valuable because it provides us with an insight into how our sensory experiences and emotions intertwine with our memories and identity. While we know a lot about how food triggers nostalgic memories, there is still much to learn about the specific brain areas involved and the differences in food-evoked nostalgia in different cultures. In the future we may be able to use the science behind food-evoked nostalgia to help people experiencing dementia to tap into lost memories or in psychological therapy to help people reframe negative experiences. So, if you are ever feeling a little down and want to improve your mood, consider turning to one of your favourite comfort foods that remind you of home, your loved ones or a holiday long ago. Transporting yourself back to those times could help turn things around.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232826/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-lee-490875">Megan Lee</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-angus-1542552">Doug Angus</a>, Assistant Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-simpson-1542551">Kate Simpson</a>, Sessional academic, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tastes-from-our-past-can-spark-memories-trigger-pain-or-boost-wellbeing-heres-how-to-embrace-food-nostalgia-232826">original article</a>.

Mind

Taste depends on nature and nurture. Here are 7 ways you can learn to enjoy foods you don’t like

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> You’re out for dinner with a bunch of friends, one of whom orders pizza with anchovies and olives to share, but you hate olives and anchovies! Do you pipe up with your preferred choice – Hawaiian – or stay quiet? This scene plays out every day around the world. Some people ferociously defend their personal tastes. But many would rather expand their palate, and not have to rock the boat the next time someone in their friend group orders pizza. Is it possible to train your tastebuds to enjoy foods you previously didn’t, like training a muscle at the gym? <h2>What determines ‘taste’?</h2> Taste is a complex system we evolved to help us navigate the environment. It helps us select foods with nutritional value and reject anything potentially harmful. Foods are made up of different compounds, including nutrients (such as proteins, sugars and fats) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P_0HGRWgXw">aromas</a> that are detected by sensors in the mouth and nose. These sensors create the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZn2PMUWO-Y">flavour of food</a>. While taste is what the tastebuds on your tongue pick up, flavour is the combination of how something smells and tastes. Together with texture, appearance and sound, these senses collectively influence your food preferences. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MZn2PMUWO-Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Flavour is the overall impression you get when eating.</figcaption></figure> Many factors influence food preferences, including age, genetics and environment. We each live in our own sensory world and no two people will have the same <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-some-people-find-some-foods-yummy-but-others-find-the-same-foods-yucky-77671">experience while eating</a>. Food preferences also change with age. Research has found young children have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">natural preference</a> for sweet and salty tastes and a dislike of bitter tastes. As they grow older their ability to like bitter foods grows. Emerging evidence shows bacteria in saliva can also produce enzymes that influence the taste of foods. For instance, saliva has been shown to cause the release of sulphur aromas in cauliflower. The <a href="https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2021/acs-presspac-september-22-2021/childrens-dislike-of-cauliflower-broccoli-could-be-written-in-their-microbiome.html">more sulphur that is produced</a>, the less likely a kid is to enjoy the taste of cauliflower. <h2>Nature versus nurture</h2> Both genetics and the environment play a crucial role in determining food preferences. Twin studies estimate genetics have a moderate influence on food preferences (between 32% and 54%, depending on the food type) in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">children</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27385609/">adolescents</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/dietary-patterns-and-heritability-of-food-choice-in-a-uk-female-twin-cohort/8507AAF01330C599BAC62BCC0EF4CF06">adults</a>. However, since our cultural environment and the foods we’re exposed to also shape our preferences, these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">preferences are learned</a> to a large degree. A lot of this learning takes place during childhood, at home and other places we eat. This isn’t textbook learning. <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9780851990323.0093">It’s learning</a> by experiencing (eating), which typically leads to increased liking of the food – or by watching what others do (modelling), which can lead to both positive or negative associations. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">Research</a> has shown how environmental influences on food preferences change between childhood and adulthood. For children, the main factor is the home environment, which makes sense as kids are more likely to be influenced by foods prepared and eaten at home. Environmental factors influencing adults and adolescents are more varied. <h2>The process of ‘acquiring’ taste</h2> Coffee and beer are good examples of bitter foods people “acquire” a taste for as they grow up. The ability to overcome the dislike of these is largely due to: <ul> <li> the social context in which they’re consumed. For example, in many countries they may be associated with passage into adulthood. </li> <li> the physiological effects of the compounds they contain – caffeine in coffee and alcohol in beer. Many people find these effects desirable. </li> </ul> But what about acquiring a taste for foods that don’t provide such desirable feelings, but which are good for you, such as kale or fatty fish? Is it possible to gain an acceptance for these? Here are some strategies that can help you learn to enjoy foods you currently don’t: <ol> <li> eat, and keep eating. Only a small portion is needed to build a liking for a specific taste over time. It may take 10–15 attempts or more before you can say you “like” the food. </li> <li> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329302001106">mask bitterness</a> by eating it with other foods or ingredients that contain salt or sugar. For instance, you can pair bitter rocket with a sweet salad dressing. </li> <li> eat it repeatedly in a positive context. That could mean eating it after playing your favourite sport or with people you like. Alternatively, you could eat it with foods you already enjoy; if it’s a specific vegetable, try pairing it with your favourite protein. </li> <li> eat it when you’re hungry. In a hungry state you’ll be more willing to accept a taste you might not appreciate on a full stomach. </li> <li> remind yourself why you want to enjoy this food. You may be changing your diet for health reasons, or because you’ve moved countries and are struggling with the local cuisine. Your reason will help motivate you. </li> <li> start young (if possible). It’s easier for children to learn to like new foods as their tastes are less established. </li> <li> remember: the more foods you like, the easier it’ll become to learn to like others. </li> </ol> A balanced and varied diet is essential for good health. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315003438?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=82a5fd5069821f63">Picky eating</a> can become a problem if it leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies – especially if you’re avoiding entire food groups, such as vegetables. At the same time, eating too many tasty but energy-dense foods can increase your risk of chronic disease, including obesity. Understanding how your food preferences have formed, and how they can evolve, is a first step to getting on the path of healthier eating.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215999/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, Research Scientist, Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, Principal Researcher, Public Health & Wellbeing Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taste-depends-on-nature-and-nurture-here-are-7-ways-you-can-learn-to-enjoy-foods-you-dont-like-215999">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

“It tastes like rich”: Hotel sells $32 coffee with gold sprinkles

At the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, you can treat yourself to a cappuccino for a whopping $32AUD, although you’re not really paying for the coffee alone. The cappuccino, which is found at the hotel’s Le Cafe by the Fountain comes with 23-karat gold sprinkled on top and it has been named the Emirates Palace Golden Cappuccino. The pricey cap is not the only item on the menu that is embellished with gold, with the hotel advertising a camel milk vanilla or chocolate ice cream with a 23-karat gold leaf for $29. In the mood for a cold drink? The Emirates Palace has got you covered with their Hawaiian Candy Colada, a mocktail topped with 23-karat gold flakes for $26. Tourists have shared videos on social media, with one showing a barista shaking a can of gold flakes over a row of cappuccinos, much like one would with the average cocoa powder topping. Another video posted by a worker shows her adding gold flakes with a spoon. One TikToker who got to try the luxurious coffee wrote, “The gold cappuccino was 8/10 but the vibes were 100/10.” One user wrote, “It tastes like rich.” Another agreed, writing “It tastes expensive.” A Canadian coffee content creator, Brodie Vissers, better known as The Nomad Barista online reviewed the hotel’s cappuccino on YouTube. “Our drinks have arrived, I’m a little bit nervous. It used to be 24-karat, now they’ve reduced it to 23-karat but it is still gold sprinkled on this coffee,” he said. “I don’t even know what to expect from this drink,” he said before trying the luxurious drink. “It’s actually not bad. Of course the foam on the latte is not like a perfect flat white or anything. It’s actually not as sweet as I expected. It’s got a nice balance to it. It’s an interesting drink. “We cannot forget about the dates. Having dates with coffee is a very traditional thing here in the Middle East. “Let’s see how that pairs with the latte. Wow, that is so good. I recommend it if you’re around. It’s a kind of unique opportunity here in (Emirates) Palace. What better place to drink coffee with gold on top.” Image credit: Instagram

Food & Wine

Appearance, aroma and mouthfeel: all you need to know to give wine tasting a go

So you like drinking wine, but don’t actually know much about it? You want to feel more confident when talking about wine? You would like to know how to choose a “good” wine? You are not alone – but I am here to help. Many of us enjoy drinking wine but do not really understand or appreciate the complexity of this amazing beverage. And many feel nervous about discussing wines, thinking they may say the wrong thing. Fearnot – there is no right or wrong when appreciating wine, however the more you know and understand, the more you will really treasure and enjoy the experience of wine tasting. Here are my top tips for giving wine tasting a go. <h2 style="text-align: justify;">Appearance, aroma and mouthfeel</h2> When appreciating wine, all of the senses are employed. Formal wine judges and critics will appraise the appearance, aroma and taste (or “mouthfeel”) of a wine, and anyone who has heard the pop of a cork from a bottle of sparkling has appreciated the sound. A wine should be clear: free of any haziness or solids (“natural” wines may have some haziness due to yeast residue). The colour of a wine is also important. A young white wine should be a very pale yellow or “straw” colour, and a young red may have purple notes. Brown tinges of a young wine indicate that the wine may be spoilt – possibly premature ageing due to poor storage. There are hundreds of aroma compounds which all contribute to the smell of a wine. The term “aroma” refers to the smells originating from the grape, and “bouquet” from the smells resulting from the wine making process. A good wine should not be simple – it should have an interesting array of aromas. A wine should not have any undesirable or off odours, as this can also indicate spoilage. The smell of a wine should make you want to have a taste of it! While you are tasting, you can observe how wines range in style from dry (lacking any sugar) to very sweet, still to sparking, and may have varying concentrations of alcohol (ethanol). Pay attention to how acidic the wine is, and notice if the wine has an astringency or bitterness – these are the tannins found particularly in red wines. Notice the different flavours derived from both the grape and the winemaking process. All of these components contribute to the mouthfeel of a wine and should be in “balance”: no one component should over-dominate the others. <h2 style="text-align: justify;">How to taste</h2> There are a number of factors which will improve your wine tasting experience, and three main steps taken when wine tasting. Make sure you have clean wine glasses which can hold a reasonable volume of wine – at least 100mL with room to swirl! Wine should not be cold or too hot – room temperature is best. Step 1: look Is the wine clear and free from any deposits or solids? Does it have any bronzing? Does it have bubbles when it is not a sparkling style? Step 2: smell Swirl the glass to coat the insides with wine. This helps to release the aroma compounds. Put your nose right into the glass and take a deep sniff. Does it smell good? Free from any off odours? Can you smell fruity and floral aromas that come from the grape? Are there any oak or yeasty aromas from the winemaking process? Step 3: taste Take a big sip and move it about your mouth. Can you taste grape flavours, acid, warmth, some viscosity or oiliness? You can even suck some air in through your teeth which helps to release aroma compounds in your mouth, which can then travel through your nose to help you taste and smell the wine even better. Is the wine complex? Does the taste last for a long time in your mouth, or does the wine taste quickly disappear? There are also tools such as aroma wheels and tasting guides which may be beneficial to have on hand when tasting wines – these provide suggestions of wine descriptors. It may also be useful to write down your thoughts in a journal. <h2 style="text-align: justify;">And how to appreciate</h2> The best way to really appreciate and enjoy wine is to talk about it. Enjoy wine with others such as a group of friends or a local wine enthusiast group. Taste wines side by side so you can compare the differences. There is a wealth of information on wine appreciation available – wine critics give reviews of wines in print and online, and most larger wine retailers will also provide wine reviews. Or get out to wineries and talk to the cellar door staff or winemakers about their wines. It is very useful to talk to other people as this helps you to build up your “wine vocabulary”. Consider the appearance, aroma and taste and then the overall impression of the wine. Your opinion is your opinion - nobody is right and nobody is wrong. If you want to go back for another taste, or another glass, then you have found the wine for you. Image credit: Shutterstock

Food & Wine

“I’ve tasted the faintest bitter edge of racism”: Ash Barty admits to being racially abused

Ash Barty has confessed that she’s been on the receiving end of “bitter racism” after finding out about her Indigenous heritage. In her autobiography, My Dream Time, which will be published on November 2, Barty opens up about the moment she found out about her family’s past. The former tennis player said it was a difficult moment when her father searched for the truth and eventually told Barty and her sister which then led to “vile racism”. “I’ve seen glimpses and tasted the faintest bitter edge of racism” she wrote. “I’d win a Deadly Award but get vilified on line. I’d become a Tennis Australia First Nations Ambassador and then find some muppet calling my heritage into question.” The three-time Grand Slam winner said there was still a lot of work and educated needed to address the importance of Indigenous Australians. “There was no need for us to talk about that in the moment but it was certainly something that confused me a little bit as to why someone would criticise something that is so personal to me,” she told NewsCorp. “Looking back now it’s all about the education and giving people the tools to understand others and appreciate what came before us.” Barty went on to reveal that her trip to Central Australia where she worked with First Nations children was when she was convinced of a connection with them. “If anything it has just reassured to me that the path I want to go down in the future is to try and help First Nations youth around the country.” Eventually, Barty found out of her Indigenous heritage when her father Rob traced back his roots. At 13 he was told by a cousin that there was Indigenous heritage in the family but his parents denied it, claiming their connection was only to Māoris in New Zealand. Rob did not accept that and went on to trace back his family history where he found out that his great grandmother was an Indigenous Australian who married a white man. Barty’s dad sat her and her sister down when she was just seven and told them the truth. The family then went on to record their names with the Ngarigu Nation. “It was not a conversation his parents could have with him,” she wrote. “To his parents, Aboriginal ancestry was something to be ashamed of and not something he should be curious about.” Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Does cooking bacon in water make it taste better

A rumour on the internet has suggested the key to juicier, crispier bacon is submerging it in cold water and bringing it to the boil. But does this theory have legs? Well, the idea at least seems to check out. The difference between “good” and “bad” bacon generally comes down to the rendering of the fat from cooking to too long or too quickly. But when you cook it with the cold-water method, bringing the cold water to the simmer, cooking it away completely, you theoretically cook the fat away without drying the bacon, and once the water’s gone all you have to do is brown the meat. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2guC4Badq2s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/internet-cooking-test-should-you-cook-bacon-in-water/news-story/a4ac7d3e60033861c0a625ef9638c526" target="_blank">News.com.au</a> recently put this to test, cooking a control and putting it up against the new bacon cooking method, “The ‘new’ method had produced much drier, darker bacon. It was crispier as promised, but in a way that made it less enjoyable to eat. It had developed the consistency reminiscent of beef jerky. “Even worse, this method seemed to have leached a lot of the bacon’s salt content out into the water before gluing it back to the outside of the bacon as it evaporated, making the bacon much saltier to taste.” So, what do you think? Are you going to experiment with this new bacon-cooking method, or stick to what you know works? Let us know in the comments below.

Food & Wine

Move over, Iron Chef, this metallic cook has just learned how to taste

In an episode of Futurama, robot Bender wants to be a chef, but has to overcome the not inconsiderable hurdle of being incapable of taste. It was beautiful. Move over, Bender. A new robot has not only been programmed to taste, it has been trained to taste food at different stages of the cooking process to check for seasoning. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, working with domestic appliances manufacturer Beko, hope the new robot will be useful in the development of automated food preparation. It’s a cliché of cooking that you must “taste as you go”. But tasting isn’t as simple as it may seem. There are different stages of the chewing process in which the release of saliva and digestive enzymes change our perception of flavour while chewing. The robot chef had already mastered the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/a-good-egg-robot-chef-trained-to-make-omelettes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">omelette</a> based on human tasters’ feedback. Now, results <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2022.886074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the Frontiers in Robotics & AI journal show the robot tasting nine different variations of scrambled eggs and tomatoes at three different stages of the chewing process to produce a “taste map”. Using machine-learning algorithms and the “taste as you go” approach, the robot was able to quickly and accurately judge the saltiness of the simple scrambled egg dish. The new method was a significant improvement over other tasting tech based on only a single sample. Saltiness was measured by a conductance probe attached to the robot’s arm. They prepared the dish, varying the number of tomatoes and amount of salt. “Chewed” food was passed through a blender, then tested for saltiness again. <figure class="wp-block-video"><video src="../wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Unchewed-sampling-short.mp4" controls="controls" width="300" height="150"></video><figcaption>This robot ‘chef’ is learning to be a better cook by ‘tasting’ the saltiness of a simple dish of eggs and tomatoes at different stages of the cooking process, imitating a similar process in humans. Credit: Bio-Inspired Robotics Laboratory, University of Cambridge.</figcaption></figure> “Most home cooks will be familiar with the concept of tasting as you go – checking a dish throughout the cooking process to check whether the balance of flavours is right,” said lead author Grzegorz Sochacki from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “If robots are to be used for certain aspects of food preparation, it’s important that they are able to ‘taste’ what they’re cooking.” The new approach aims to mimic the continuous feedback provided to the human brain in the process of chewing, says Dr Arsen Abdulali, also from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “Current methods of electronic testing only take a single snapshot from a homogenised sample, so we wanted to replicate a more realistic process of chewing and tasting in a robotic system, which should result in a tastier end product.” “When a robot is learning how to cook, like any other cook, it needs indications of how well it did,” said Abdulali. “We want the robots to understand the concept of taste, which will make them better cooks. In our experiment, the robot can ‘see’ the difference in the food as it’s chewed, which improves its ability to taste.” “We believe that the development of robotic chefs will play a major role in busy households and assisted living homes in the future,” said senior Beko scientist Dr Muhammad W. Chugtai. “This result is a leap forward in robotic cooking, and by using machine and deep-learning algorithms, mastication will help robot chefs adjust taste for different dishes and users.” Next on the menu will be training robots to improve and expand the tasting abilities to oily or sweet food, for example. Sounds pretty sweet.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=190155&title=Move+over%2C+Iron+Chef%2C+this+metallic+cook+has+just+learned+how+to+taste" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robot-machine-learning-taste/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/evrim-yazgin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evrim Yazgin</a>. Evrim Yazgin has a Bachelor of Science majoring in mathematical physics and a Master of Science in physics, both from the University of Melbourne. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Technology

Why does pizza taste so good?

<blockquote> Why does pizza taste so good? – Annika, age 5, Oneonta, New York </blockquote> <hr /> Pizza is <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/historians-cookbook/history-pizza">one of the world’s most popular foods</a>. In the U.S., <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/69737/46-mouthwatering-facts-about-pizza">350 slices</a> are eaten every second, while <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/69737/46-mouthwatering-facts-about-pizza">40% of Americans</a> eat pizza at least once a week. There’s a reason why pizza is so popular. <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1307.7982.pdf">Humans are drawn to foods</a> that are fatty and sweet and rich and complex. Pizza has all of these components. Cheese is fatty, meat toppings tend to be rich, and the sauce is sweet. Pizza toppings are also packed with a compound called <a href="https://neurohacker.com/what-is-glutamate">glutamate</a>, which can be found in the tomatoes, cheese, pepperoni and sausage. When glutamate hits our tongues, it tells our brains to get excited – and to crave more of it. This compound actually causes our mouths to water in anticipation of the next bite. Then there are the combinations of ingredients. Cheese and tomato sauce are like a perfect marriage. On their own, they taste pretty good. But according to culinary scientists, they contain flavor compounds <a href="http://specertified.com/blog/view/why-does-pizza-taste-so-good-the-science-of-the-5-basic-tastes-and-pizzas-c">that taste even better when eaten together</a>. Another quality of pizza that makes it so delicious: Its ingredients become brown while cooking in the oven. Foods turn brown and crispy when we cook them because of two chemical reactions. The first is called <a href="https://www.scienceofcooking.com/caramelization.htm">caramelization</a>, which happens when the sugars in a food become brown. Most foods contain at least some sugar; once foods are between 230 and 320 degrees, their sugars begin to turn brown. Caramel <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221871719_Unraveling_the_Chemical_Composition_of_Caramel">is made from several thousand compounds</a>, making it one of the most complex food products. On a pizza, ingredients like onions and tomatoes become caramelized during baking, making them rich and sweet and flavorful. That brown and crispy crust is also the result of the dough caramelizing. While the meat and cheese on your pizza also get brown, this is due to a different process called the “<a href="https://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i40/Maillard-Reaction-Turns-100.html">Maillard reaction</a>,” which is named after French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard. The Maillard reaction occurs when the amino acids in high-protein foods like cheese and pepperoni react with the sugars in those foods when heated. Pepperonis that become crispy with curled edges, and cheese that browns and bubbles, are examples of the Maillard reaction at work. With bread, cheese and tomato sauce as its base, pizza might seem like a simple food. It isn’t. And now, the next time you’re about to devour a slice, you’ll be able to appreciate all of the elements of pizza that excite our brains, thrill our taste buds and cause our mouths to water. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeffrey-miller-465603">Jeffrey Miller</a>, Associate Professor, Hospitality Management, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/colorado-state-university-1267">Colorado State University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-does-pizza-taste-so-good-125618">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Enjoy the taste of summer with a mango and cucumber noodle salad

Enjoy the taste of summer with this refreshing salad. Serves: 6 as side salad Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 0 mins Ingredients <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">2 large Calypso® mangoes</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">200g Qukes®, sliced into rounds </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">100g dried rice vermicelli noodles </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 1/2 cups fresh herbs (like mint, coriander, Thai basil)</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">125g snow peas, shredded</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 long red chilli, thinly sliced</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 baby wombok, shredded</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1/4 red cabbage, shredded</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">3/4 cup roasted salted cashews or macadamia nuts</li> </ul> Dressing <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1/3 cup coconut water</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 tbs grated ginger</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Cut the cheeks from the mango. Using a large spoon, carefully scoop the flesh out in 1 piece. Thinly slice the mango crossways. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Prepare the noodles following packet directions. Refresh under cold water and drain well. Use kitchen scissors to cut noodles into thirds. Transfer to a large bowl and add the Qukes®, herbs, snow peas, chilli and mango slices.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Combine all the dressing ingredients together and season with salt. Pour three-quarters over the salad and toss gently to combine.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Combine the wombok and cabbage and arrange over base of large serving platter or board. Top with mango salad. Scatter over the cashews. Spoon over remaining dressing and serve. </li> </ol> Tip: You can add shredded chicken or chopped prawns to turn this salad into a main meal. Recipe courtesy of Calypso Mangos.

Food & Wine

Enjoy the taste of summer with a tropical granola breakfast tart

Juicy, delicious and bursting with nutritional goodness, these breakfast tarts are the perfect way to wake up. Serves: 4 Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: Tarts <ul> <li> 3 Cups rolled oats</li> <li> 1 Cup sunflower seeds</li> <li> 1 Tsp vanilla paste</li> <li> ¼ Cup honey</li> <li> ½ Tsp cinnamon</li> <li> 4 Tbsp melted coconut oil</li> <li> 1 egg white</li> </ul> Topping <ul> <li> 1 Tub coconut yoghurt</li> <li> Fruits for topping – Ruby Rise Red Papaya sliced, mango cubed, blueberries</li> <li> Shaved coconut</li> <li> 1 Tbsp honey</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 120 degrees.</li> <li>Lightly spray 4 small tart tins with vegetable oil.</li> <li>In a medium bowl combine oats, cinnamon, sunflower seeds, vanilla, honey, egg white and coconut oil. Mix well. Divide the mixture between tins. Press the mixture at the bottom of the pans and press evenly at the bottom and sides of pan – be sure to leave ditch/well for the yoghurt.</li> <li>Bake for 20 minutes or until light and golden brown.</li> <li>Allow to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then move to a cooling rack (keep in tins).</li> <li>When completely cool, gently remove.</li> <li>Place a few spoonfuls of yoghurt into the granola tarts, then top with the fruit and toasted coconut. Drizzle with honey.</li> </ol> Recipe and photo courtesy of Ruby Ryse Papaya.

Food & Wine

“Very poor taste”: Airline slammed after morbid Twitter gaffe

An airline has had to apologise to the public after tweeting a grim statistic as a part of a “Tuesday Trivia” promotion. The airline tweeted statistics about the likelihood of a passenger dying during a crash based on their seating assignment. “According to data studies by Time, the fatality rate for the seats in the middle of the plane is the highest. “However, the fatality rate for the seats in the front is marginally lesser and is least for seats at the rear third of a plane,” the tweet said. There was an image of an aircraft seat accompanying the tweet as well as the message: “Seats at the back of a plane are the safest!”. Many twitter users responded in droves, saying that the tweet was inappropriate. KLM India removed the tweet and replaced it with an apology. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> We would like to sincerely apologise for a recent update. The post was based on a publically available aviation fact, and isn't a <a href="https://twitter.com/KLM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KLM</a> opinion. It was never our intention to hurt anyone's sentiments. The post has since been deleted. — KLM India (@KLMIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/KLMIndia/status/1151574115049803777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2019</a></blockquote> However, for some Twitter users, the damage was done. “If I’m gonna die it’s going to be in first class,” one person commented. “Frankly, I’m glad to know the seats in the back of the plane are the safest,” another added. “Besides the tweet which was in very poor taste, your statement also wasn’t a fact because there’s just not enough data (thankfully) to make that assertion,” one person wrote. One user pointed out the morbid timing of the tweet. “Not the best tweet on the fifth anniversary of crash of #MH17,” a user wrote.

Travel Trouble

How our sense of taste changes as we age

Taste is a complex phenomenon. We do not experience the sensation through a single sense (as we would when we see something using our sense of sight, for example) but rather it is made up of the five senses working together to allow us to appreciate and enjoy food and drink. Initial visual inspection of food indicates if we would consider consuming it. Then, when eating, smell and flavour combine to allow us to perceive a taste. Meanwhile, the mix of ingredients, texture and temperature can further impact how we experience it. Unfortunately, this means that losing any of our senses, particularly smell or taste, can reduce our enjoyment of food. Think of the last time you had a cold or a blocked nose. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579627/">It’s likely that</a> the temporary loss of smell changed the way you tasted food, lowered your appetite, or might even have caused you to overconsume as a means of seeking satisfaction and satiation. A similar phenomenon <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/130/4/927S/4686631">happens when we get older</a>. The way we perceive taste starts to change by the age of 60 – when the sensitivity of our sense of smell <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181219115505.htm">also starts to diminish</a> – becoming severe from the age of 70. Contributing senses As set out above, when our sense of smell functions less and is not able to detect and discriminate between different smells, it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579627/">affects our taste perception</a>. The decline in sensitivity of sense of smell with age is due to several factors, including a reduction in the number of olfactory receptors – which recognise different odour molecules – in the back of the nasal cavity, as well as a declining rate of regeneration of the receptor cells. Another reason for impairment of the sense of taste with ageing is due to structural changes in the taste papillae. These bumpy structures host taste buds in the mouth, on the tongue and palate. One type of these papillae, fungiform, which contain high levels of taste buds, decreases in number as we age and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23013608">also changes in shape</a>, becoming more closed. The more open the papillae, the easier it is for chemicals in food to come into contact with the receptors to create taste. Closed papillae <a href="https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/43/2/117/4718453">reduce the contact surface</a> between food compounds and receptors resulting in less perception of food tastes. Changing tastes Poor chewing is another factor that contributes to low detection of tastes. Due to ageing or poor oral health, some people lose their teeth, with many resorting to dentures. But dentures, particularly if ill-fitting, can affect the quality of chewing and breaking down of food compounds. This can then reduce the dissolution of the food compounds in saliva and reduces the contact levels with the sensory receptors in the taste buds. In addition, saliva secretion <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579627/">can also decline</a> as a result of ageing. This means that there is less fluid to carry food compounds to the taste receptors, and less liquid available to help food compounds to dissolve, so taste is more poorly received. General health also plays an important role in our sense of taste at any age. Head injuries, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2980431/pdf/0561142.pdf">medicinal drugs</a>, respiratory infections, <a href="https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/eating-problems/changes-in-taste.html">cancer</a>, radiation, and environmental exposure such as <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140325094810.htm">smoke</a> and particulates can all contribute to an impaired sense of taste and exposure to many of these factors increase as we get older. Not everyone’s sense of taste declines in the same way, however. Changes are known to be diverse among different people and genders, and not everyone shows the same level of impairment as they age. Though some things are inevitable, there are things that we can all do to at least reduce loss of taste. Our preliminary research, for example, has indicated that keeping a healthy diet, an active lifestyle, and ensuring a low to moderate consumption of the five tastes – sweet, sour, salt, umami and bitter – could help to slow down the changes in papillae. Written by Anita Setarehnejad and Ruth Fairchild. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-our-sense-of-taste-changes-as-we-age-112569">The Conversation</a>.

Body

What drives our wine choice – taste or the price tag?

Can a wine drinker judge the quality of a bottle by its price? The nature of this relationship has always been contested. We expect that consumers are willing to pay more for higher quality wines, while higher quality wines typically cost much more to produce. Some studies have identified that better quality wines do in fact <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1574-0862.2001.tb00058.x/abstract">sell for higher prices</a>, others <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504850701222145#.VI5EmnuK2Vo">have not</a>. Fundamentally, it is the subjective nature of wine quality assessment and the lack of quality information held by consumers which potentially drives a wedge between price and its quality. Even though expert wine tasters are able to provide a sensory evaluation of a wine’s characteristics, evaluation is subjective and different tasters often maintain different opinions for the same wine. Further, wine is often argued to be an “experience good” - which means that consumers need to purchase and consume the good first to evaluate it. This subjective nature of wine evaluation and the inability of consumers to know what’s in the bottle before consuming it means that the pricing of wines according to some measure of quality may prove particularly difficult. To explain how wine prices differ statistical models have been developed to examine the relationship between wine price and its quality and a series of other factors thought to influence prices. These statistical models are called hedonic price functions. These hedonic functions recognise that price depends upon both demand and supply factors and are employed generally for differentiated goods, such as houses, personal computers and cars. For wine, hedonic price functions statistically estimate the relationship between prices and measures of a wine’s quality, reputation, variety, region, vintage, and other factors for one of the seminal wine studies. In an attempt to shed light on the price-quality debate, Chris Doucouliagos and I have recently <a href="http://ajae.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/07/12/ajae.aau057.short">undertaken a meta analysis</a> of the relation between wine prices and quality ratings. The purpose of a meta analysis is to summarise previously published results from studies and make general conclusions of the major findings of a body of literature. The meta analysis examined more than 180 hedonic wine price models developed over 20 years covering many countries. The research identifies that the relation between the price of wine and its sensory quality rating is a moderate partial correlation of +0.30. This correlation is positive and statistically significant in approximately 90% of cases. In other words, approximately 90% of models estimated in the literature identified that the positive relation between prices and quality is not due to chance. The findings from the meta-analysis indicate, however, that the correlation between price and its quality is not perfect. That is, some wines are over-priced compared to quality, others may be under-priced. This recognition suggests some important implications for both wine producers and consumers. For wine producers specific pricing strategies to follow will depend on the quality of the wines produced and the nature of competition that producers face in the market. For example, some low quality producers may be able to charge higher prices than implied by quality, in the short term, as buyers may find it uneconomic to conduct the necessary search to identify quality. In other words, some consumers may be fooled by higher prices inferring higher quality, and pay higher prices than they really should. This deception may only occur for a short period of time as consumers become more aware of the wine’s quality over time. Alternatively, high quality producers may seek to charge higher prices than suggested by the wine’s quality level given that low-quality producers cannot sustainably follow a similar strategy. For consumers, the results imply that price may or may not infer quality. In other words, consumers should be wary of using price as a sole indicator of a wine’s quality. This implies that better informed buyers could potentially identify bargains in the short run. The question naturally arises, if wine experts differ in their opinions of a wine, what does a consumer do? Wine expert Jancis Robinson suggests that individual consumers may wish to follow the “preferences and prejudices” of a specific wine critic in making wine purchase choices. The moderate price-quality correlation identified across numerous studies occurs despite the lack of information held by consumers about a wine’s quality and the inconsistency of expert tasters when evaluating wines. Despite all this, it can be argued that quality still does matter.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/35252/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eddie-oczkowski-147677">Eddie Oczkowski</a>, Professor of Applied Economics and Quantitative Methods, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a>. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-drives-our-wine-choice-taste-or-the-price-tag-35252">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

The microwave hack that makes food taste better

Contrary to popular belief, there is a microwave hack that prevents food from being ruined when you microwave it. This trick allows your food to remain moist as you reheat it – and it is as simple as placing a cup of water in the microwave alongside your leftovers. Make sure the microwave-safe mug is two-thirds full of water when you place it in the microwave with your food. The water absorbs excess microwave radiation and keeps your food from overcooking. The trick also keeps your food from drying out. What are your microwave hacks? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

The reason wine tastes odd on planes

If you’ve ever asked for a glass of red on a plane to relax (or perhaps calm your nerves) you might’ve noticed how it tastes a little bit different when you’re in the plane cabin. Well, there’s a good reason for this. Writing for <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff</a>, travel expert Michael Austin explains why this is the case. “That air is being recirculated, and it carries provocative notes of jet fuel, upholstery and carpet, all of which tend to fade the longer you spend in that tube, and maybe that's a good thing for those of us who don't particularly love those smells,” Austin writes. “But the problem is that even the stuff we do want to smell eventually fades. And when the aromas go, the flavours go too. It's all caused by your own aircraft-induced dehydration – the drying-out that afflicts you every time you go wheels-up. “You don't get entirely stripped of your ability to smell and taste, obviously (you can taste well enough to know that you're not wild about the over-salted yet still-kind-of-bland food resting on the tray in front of you), but your senses very quickly begin to operate at a fraction of their normal capacity - and they go downhill from there. “You gradually lose your ability to smell and taste the subtle aromas and flavours you might have been easily able to identify and name in the most creative ways on the ground.” So, there you have it, that’s why wine tastes a little odd on planes.

Travel Tips

What your music taste says about you

David M. Greenberg is a Music Psychologist and PhD Candidate at the University of Cambridge. We’re exposed to music for nearly 20 per cent of <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00434.x/abstract" target="_blank">our waking lives</a>. But much of our musical experience seems to be a mystery. Why does some music bring us to tears while other pieces make us dance? Why is it that the music that we like can make others agitated? And why do some people seem to have a natural ability to play music while others have difficulty carrying a tune? Science is beginning to show that these individual differences are not just random but are, in part, due to people’s personalities. My colleagues and I <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0131151" target="_blank">have published</a> research showing that people’s musical preferences are linked to three broad thinking styles. Empathisers (Type E) have a strong interest in people’s thoughts and emotions. Systemisers (Type S) have a strong interest in patterns, systems and the rules that govern the world. And those who score relatively equally on empathy and systemising are classified as Type B for “balanced”. Research from the <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102251" target="_blank">past decade</a> has shown that 95 per cent of people can be classified into one of these three groups and that they predict a lot of human behaviour. For example, they can predict things such as whether someone studies maths and science, or humanities <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608007000155" target="_blank">at university</a>. For the first time, we have shown that they can predict musical behaviour, too. Matching music with thinking style To study this phenomenon, we conducted <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0131151" target="_blank">multiple studies</a> with over 4,000 participants. We took data on these participants’ thinking styles and asked them to listen to and indicate their preferences for up to 50 musical excerpts, representing a wide range of genres. Across these studies, we found that empathisers preferred mellow music that had low energy, sad emotions, and emotional depth, as heard in R&B, soft rock, and singer-songwriter genres. For example, empathising was linked to preferences for “Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones and Jeff Buckley’s recording of “Hallelujah”. On the other hand, systemisers preferred more intense music, as heard in hard rock, punk and heavy metal genres. Systemisers also preferred music with intellectual depth and complexity as heard in avant-garde classical genres. For example, systemizing was linked to preferences for Alexander Scriabin’s “Etude opus 65 no. 3”. Importantly, those who are Type B, had a tendency to prefer music that spans more of a range than the other two thinking styles. In our <a href="http://www.doc.gold.ac.uk/~mas03dm/papers/Greenbergetal_PersonalityMusicalSophistication_2015.pdf" target="_blank">most recent study</a>, published in the Journal of Research of Personality, we found that people’s personality traits can also predict their musical ability, even if they don’t play an instrument. Our team worked with BBC Lab UK to recruit over 7,000 participants and assess them for five distinct personality dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism/emotionality stability. We also asked them to conduct various tasks that measured their musical ability, including remembering melodies and picking out rhythms. We found that, next to musical training, the personality trait of openness was the strongest predictor of musical sophistication. People who score highly for openness are imaginative, have a wide range of interests, and are open to new ways of thinking and changes in their environment. Those who score low on openness (or who are “closed”) are more set in their ways, prefer routine and the familiar, and tend to have more conventional values. We also found that extroverts who are often more talkative, assertive, and excitement-seeking had greater singing abilities. Furthermore, we could apply this even to people who did not currently play a musical instrument, meaning there are people who have a potential for musical talent but are entirely unaware of it. Music therapy These new findings tell us that from a person’s musical taste and ability, we can infer a range of information about their personality and the way that they think. This research shows there are factors beyond our awareness that shape our musical experiences. We hope that these findings can be of help to teachers, parents, and clinicians. Based on information about personality, educators can ensure that children with the potential for musical talent have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Music therapists can use information about thinking style to help tailor their therapies for clients, too. We are also interested in how knowledge gained from science can help children and adults on the autism spectrum who have difficulties with communication, as we recently wrote in the journal <a href="http://emusicology.org/article/view/4603" target="_blank">Empirical Musicology Review</a>. This could also help people process emotions after experiencing a psychological trauma and when grieving a loss. In fact, initial findings from our lab suggest that people who experienced a traumatic event in childhood engage with music quite differently in adulthood than those who did not experience a trauma. Written by David M. Greenberg. Republished with permission of <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. <img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/50492/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Music

A taste of country life in the Southern Highlands

Robyn Kennedy loves to explore and photograph Sydney and surrounds. Her blog <a href="http://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/" target="_blank">Life Out & About</a> has become a passion, sharing ideas for outings in and around Sydney - charming gardens, bush walks, art galleries and inspiring places to eat! Connecting the historic towns and villages of the Southern Highlands is a network of quiet country roads. Rolling hills, tree lined farms and boutique wineries make the Highlands an idyllic place to explore by car, bike… or on foot! Also, with an impressive selection of fine dining restaurants and quality accommodation it’s easy to appreciate why many Sydneysiders find the Highlands a perfect destination for a weekend or day trip getaway, only 90 minutes’ drive south west of Sydney. What to see and do There is plenty to love in the Highlands! If you enjoy walking a country lane, exploring historic villages, art galleries and antiques stores… or dining al fresco in the vineyards, the Southern Highlands is for you! Also, during the Autumn and Spring many of the private gardens are open to the public… even if you don’t visit the gardens, the nature in and around the villages is uplifting. For suggestions on galleries, quirky antique shops, boutique stores and cafés, check out my blog <a href="https://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/creatives-southern-highlands/">Creatives of the Southern Highlands</a>. <img width="500" height="250" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39890/southern-highlands-one_500x250.jpg" alt="Southern Highlands One"/> Southern Highlands – Country Life – Drives – Walks – Eats – Arts – Antiques. Image credit: Robyn Kennedy. 1. Bendooley Estate – Lunch in the Vineyards Just a five minute drive from Berrima is the impressive 200-acre property, Bendooley Estate. This is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch in the countryside. On our last trip we had a balcony table where we could appreciate the beautiful estate grounds… and a glass or two of their very drinkable Pinot Gris. The interior also looked inviting, with a huge open fireplace and walls lined with hundreds of books, this is the iconic Berkelouw Book Barn and café. 2. Berrima Village Berrima has all the quaintness you would expect to find in an historic village. Besides the historic buildings, there are a number of good cafés and restaurants, as well as some quirky gift and homeware shops. For café food, try Josh’s Café or The Courtyard Café . Also, the Bendooley Estate mentioned above is only 5 minutes away. 3. The Pines Pastoral – Cottage Accommodations About a 10 minutes’ drive from Moss Vale is one of our favourite farm stay accommodations, The Pines Pastoral… home to six very comfortable farm cottages with open country views. We’ve stayed in two of the cottages, ‘Possums’ and ‘Sugar Glider’ and loved them both. 4. Sutton Forest <img width="500" height="250" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39888/southern-highlands-two_500x250.jpg" alt="Southern Highlands Two"/> Sutton Forest Village – Country Life Southern Highlands. Image credit: Robyn Kennedy. The village of Sutton Forest is at the southern end of the Highlands, on the way to Bundanoon. One of the tiniest and most historic of all the Highlands’ towns and villages, definitely worth a visit. The old pub is great for a drink or two on the back veranda… lovely rural views. Sutton Forest is home to the Red Cow Farm private garden, one of the most visited in the region. Also close by is the historic Peppers Manor House, accommodation that allows you to indulge in life at a grand country house. When we visited a number of years ago we enjoyed staying at the little cottage at Montrose House and Berry Farm, just a 10 minute walk to the village. At various times throughout the year you can even pick your own berries! I have fond memories of our walk along the country road, to and from the local pub… especially the brilliant starry nights after a few glasses of wine. Just up the road from Sutton Forest is Exeter with its English style estates, leafy laneways and trimmed hedges. The old General Store is a working post office, store and café with homemade food and gourmet goodies. 5. Fitzroy Falls <img width="500" height="250" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39887/southern-highlands-three_500x250.jpg" alt="Southern Highlands Three"/> Fitzroy Falls – Southern Highlands. Image credit: Robyn Kennedy. Magnificent Fitzroy Falls plunges over 80m to the valley below. The walk through the bush to the falls is beautiful. 6. Country Drive Taking a ‘mystery drive’ along the back roads, discovering hidden valleys and tiny villages is very much a part of visiting the Highlands. On my last trip with a good friend, we finished our day of ‘indulgence’ with a drive through Kangaloon and Robertson, then down Jamberoo Mountain to the coast. With the late afternoon light bathing the countryside, the colours and vistas were brilliant! What a pity we didn’t have an appetite for more coffee and cake as I would have fancied a stop off at the Robertson Cheese Factory. 7. Visit the Open Gardens I love Autumn and Spring in the Highlands when many private gardens open their gates to the public, and when the streets are filled with seasonal colours. Also, a number of gardens are located out of town so you get to enjoy a drive through the rural landscape… an inspiring way to spend a few hours! 8. Walks It’s surprising that I’ve not done more walks in the area, especially when there are so many places to explore by foot!!! This is a list of walks that have been recommended… let me know if you have any other suggestions. <ul> <li>Morton National Park – there are a number of worthwhile bushwalks, including Fitzroy Falls mentioned above. There is also the Bundanoon 14km cycling track… a trail that weaves through open forest of banksias and flowering shrubs, until you come to the edge of the escarpment formed by Bundanoon Creek.</li> <li>Bong Bong Track – a 10-kilometre walking/cycling path linking Bowral and Moss Vale… the track runs beside the Wingercarribee River.</li> <li>Box Vale Track – follows the formation of an historic railway line and passes through cuttings, along embankments and through a tunnel 84 metres is length.</li> <li>Berrima River Walk – as the name suggests, a walk by the river!</li> </ul> Have you ever been to the Southern Highlands? Hero image credit: Robyn Kennedy

International Travel

Sights, sounds and tastes of Victoria’s most iconic market

Experience the sights and sounds (and tastes) of Victoria’s most iconic market. The history Opened in 1878, the Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s great historic sites. A number of markets had operated on the site prior to that time, but were eventually consolidated and turned into one grand complex. Most of the buildings you see today date from the early 1900s and have been meticulously restored over the years. It’s now the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere and covers more than 17 acres. Fun fact: the market is not actually named after Queen Victoria. The name comes from its location, at the corner of Queen and Victoria streets. <img width="498" height="330" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39036/image__498x330.jpg" alt="Image_ (374)"/> The stalls The market is bursting with fresh produce, arts and crafts, souvenirs and places to eat. For fresh produce, make your way through the different halls for Dairy, Meat & Fish, Fruit & Vegetables and Organic. Individual stalls will also be selling fresh bread and cakes, gelato, spices, tea and coffee, preserves, nuts, wine and beer. There will be lots to sample as well as purchase. In the huge general merchandise halls you can find everything from clothing and toys to stationery, sporting goods, games, toys, technology, hardware, beauty products and flowers. The details The market is close to the centre of Melbourne, just north of the CBD. It’s around a 20-minute walk from the main hub of Collins Street and is within the zone of the city’s free tram. The market is open five days a week (closed Monday and Wednesday) from 6 or 8am and closing in the early afternoon or evening. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39037/image__500x333.jpg" alt="Image_ (375)"/> Take a tour There’s so much to see at the Queen Vic Market that a tour can be a great way to start. The Ultimate Foodie Tour is a guided 90-minute walk through the heritage listed stalls and includes 10 tastings of food from the best producers, like seafood, pasta, cheese, cured meats and antipasto, and finishes off with a glass of Victorian wine and a hot jam doughnut. Your guide will also reveal some of the market’s secrets, special stories about its past and introduce you to the people behind the produce. <img width="496" height="295" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39039/image__496x295.jpg" alt="Image_ (377)"/> Winter Night Markets On Wednesdays from June 7 to August 30 every year, the Queen Victoria Market stays open until 10pm for a special winter celebration. Wander through 50 specialty and design stores, 30 gourmet food stalls, live music performances, roaring fires and beautiful lighting installations with a warming glass of mulled wine in hand. It’s a truly magical Melbourne night. Have you ever been to the Queen Victoria Market?

International Travel

Discovering new tastes in Taiwan

Justine Tyerman is a New Zealand journalist, travel writer and sub-editor. Married for 36 years, she lives in rural surroundings near Gisborne on the East Coast of New Zealand with her husband Chris. In this piece, she samples Taiwanese wine. New Zealand is known for magnificent wine – made from grapes, of course. But I recently discovered to my astonishment not all countries understand that fundamental link. Being quite an experienced wine drinker – by which I refer to frequency of consumption rather than implying I am in any way a connoisseur – I was excited at the prospect of visiting a winery in Taiwan. The unusual labels on the beautiful bottles lined up for tasting at the Nantou Winery should have forewarned me but I blithely ploughed ahead, obeying my motto to try everything offered to me in the way of new experiences. The winemaker spoke little English but proudly poured generous quantities into our tasting glasses, smiling and gesturing for us to sample his products. The first tasted startlingly like onions, and upon seeing my puzzled expression, our Taiwanese guide confirmed it tasted like onions because it was onion wine. Wandering around the room trying to look nonchalant while pretending to savour the contents of my glass, I found a convenient pot plant in which to ditch the "wine". Ever the optimist, I moved on to the second tasting which had herb-like plants on the label. I should have been alerted by this but alas, no. I took a good sip and only just managed to maintain a semblance of decorum. It was made from Chinese herbs. The pot plant received more close attention. The winemaker, encouraged by my apparent enthusiastic consumption of his products, poured me an even bigger glass of the third wine from a bottle with an elegant stiletto on the label. It was a dark-looking brew which tasted like chocolate, and was in fact chocolate wine, made especially for the young, female, Japanese palate. Poor pot plant! The final wine had a picture of exotic-looking fruit on the label which was more promising – it was lychee wine, sweet and quite palatable in a liqueur-ish way. Our guide explained that Taiwan was a nation of spirit drinkers, and wine made from grapes was not their forté. Having sampled four of their best, I can safely say there are excellent trade opportunities for New Zealand wine in that country. I later discovered we got off lightly – in Taiwan there is also such a thing as snake penis wine. Taiwan is a land of startling surprises not only to Western tastes but also habits. The hotels and hospitality are outstanding. However, some took discreet design to an extreme with toilets so cleverly concealed I was about to phone reception and complain there was no loo in my room when I found it behind a sliding panel, incorporated seamlessly into a wall. I did have to phone to find the closet where the pyjamas and slippers were hiding, having heard it was de rigueur to turn up to breakfast in the hotel’s signature “spa loungewear". Just as well I did – all the guests, from children to elderly were dressed in matching PJs next morning. On the subject of toilets, many were equipped with an ingenious seat-side touch screen requiring an IT degree to operate. It doesn’t pay to be too inquisitive and peer into your designer loo while experimenting with the console, trying to determine the mysterious workings of controls written in Chinese. There are various bidet nozzles which can result in a face full of warm water of dubious purity. In one hotel, there was a sliding window from the toilet to the bedroom so that you could converse with your room-mate if you got lonely. Huge tubs that held a tanker load of water were standard issue at the hotels. To luxuriate in an obscenely-deep bath after a long summer of water restrictions was a delicious treat. The tubs on higher floors are often located by full-length windows so you can sightsee while you soak. Taiwan is delightfully different – just be wary of wine bottle labels with snakes on them. Have you ever been to Taiwan? Share your travel tips in the comments below. * Justine Tyerman was a guest of Taiwan Tourism Bureau and China Airlines.

International Travel

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A taste of country life in the Southern Highlands

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Discovering new tastes in Taiwan