Quick – the last plate you used…what colour was it? Shape? Most of us just grab a plate out of the cupboard when making ourselves something to eat without even glancing at it!
We’ve heard about the importance of presentation for years….but did you know that the plate itself also impacts how a food is perceived?
Apparently it’s not just our mouths and noses that we use to ‘sort’ the flavours! That scrumptious dessert that you just had at your favourite restaurant…..what colour was the plate? Dark or light, circular or square? Have we got you completely confused as to what we’re on about now?
According to recent studies on neurogastronomy (that’s studying how the brain creates and defines flavours in case you didn’t know) the plate has almost as much impact as the ‘actual’ flavour of the food! We certainly didn’t know that dessert served on a white plate tastes 10% sweeter than one on a black plate! Would you believe that the difference is even more distinct when a square or angular plate is used (who knew corners reduced the sweetness?!?)!
We may be more familiar with this than we realise – have you ever marvelled at the creations of celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal? Do remember that there were sounds of the seaside playing in the background when the dish was presented? One of his latest creations – bacon and egg ice cream – may sound a little odd but alongside the sizzle of frying rashers, it’s quite palatable!
Now you can stop wondering why your meal came on a square white plate while your partner’s was on a round, black one! The flavours and taste of the meals are very important to our Smiths chefs – we’re looking forward to see what the next creations will be now but also what plates will be used!
Fancy reading the article for yourself? It can be found here Sweet or Sour? Altering how we taste our food!