Speaking in tongues

 The theory of palate is an interesting thing. I have a friend who is a picky eater supposedly because he's a "super taster" - tastes every single nuance in food, and so is easily overwhelmed by anything flavorful. My husband's pickiness has nothing to do with flavor. He's picky more on principle than palate, as is evident by the way he won't eat white cheese, even if it's cheddar, and only eats it when it's orange. 

This morning I did a Google search to figure out why it is that I can't find a specialty coffee that I actually like. It boils down to my taste buds not being trained on the new style of coffee which often has a "bright" taste to it, that comes across as sour to my unrefined taste buds. It may come as a surprise to you then, to hear I also don't like IPAs. Go ahead, tell me I just haven't tried the right IPA, and I will tell you that I don't like "hoppiness". If you don't like hoppiness, you're probably not going to enjoy an IPA, whose main goal is to bring out the hoppiness. 

Spring has sprung in the vineyard, and all vines are showing signs of life. The Cabernet is developing flowers, and the straggling Merlot vine has several new leaves. Since we've made it this far, I'm now beginning to read up on how I'm supposed to care for these grapes, then perform some sort of miracle to turn them into wine. My new wine bible says I need to "educate" my palate first so that I will know what a truly high quality wine should taste like, and that the author finds it a shame when people wrinkle their noses at some of the best wines, when in actuality they just need to educate their palates. This brings me pause.

I guess at some point, I developed a taste for black coffee (when it's not sour or "bright"). I probably wouldn't have liked it when I was 5 years old, drinking out of my mom's abandoned cups that were thick with cream and sugar. I must have had to "educate" my taste buds on wine and beer and whiskey. So maybe there's something to this "refined taste buds" thing......

But I'm not so sure. If I drink a wine that tastes good (I do like the taste of wine, so there are plenty of wines whose taste I do enjoy), then it's a good wine. If I don't like the taste, then does it make sense that I should educate my taste buds until I do? That reminds me of a coworker who said "We don't have to agree with me, but if you don't, let's talk about it until you do."

Taste buds: "Blech! This is awful!"

Brain: "No, no, it's good. Try again. This time with the thought of how old a vine the fruit came from, how perfect the soil, the climate, the aging process. Try it again."

Taste buds: "Blech! It's still awful! It's sour! It's pungent! Yuck!"

Brain: "No, it's bright and rich."

Taste buds: "Sour and pungent."

Brain: "I'm telling you, you're just young and ignorant. It's bright and rich."

Taste buds: "Oh, bright and rich you say? Oh yes, I see it now, this tastes fantastic!"

No, I don't think it works that way. Or well, I guess it does, however, I'm not sure I support that type of thinking. If the first sip of wine makes you pucker....maybe wait a minute or so and try again. If you're gagging by the third gulp, I would say forget your taste buds and go for that two buck chuck that you like so much. Why does it matter that you like the thing that all the cool kids like?

Because that's what it is (in my humble, unrefined taste buds' opinion). IPAs are taking the beer world by storm, and the people drinking them are convinced that everyone should love them, and if they don't, they aren't drinking the right one. In my opinion, we should all love thick chocolate stouts, and I can't understand why anyone wouldn't. IPAs are disgusting. "Bright" (sour) coffee is disgusting. I need a cup of comfort in the morning, not a kick in the mouth. Same thing with wine. I like wine that tastes good. Why would I pay money for wine that doesn't? Especially if I have to take a wine appreciation course for someone else to tell me that a gross wine tastes good. Now, if my wine tastes kinda gross, I'll drink it, because I made it and there's something special about that. If it tastes really gross, I'll dump it and figure out where I went wrong. If it tastes good but wouldn't pass by any connoisseur standards - well then hell yes, I made a good wine! 

I would like, rather, for my taste buds to educate me. My taste buds are made for informing me of what I like and what I do not like. They are wild things, not meant to be tamed. I say let them be!