TASTES.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 150, 24 April 1873, Page 2

TASTES.

Thk puroj elementary tastes are few in number, and may be comprised under the following heads : — Sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. But the compound tastes and flavours are infinite in number, anil it is in arranging them according to their infinities that the art of cookery consists. This art is almost entirely empirical. Dishes are dressed to suit the taste, mid the cook takes his own taste as the standard of what will be agreeable to those whom he serves. But what certain things are blended together — why certain mixtures form pleasing compounds, these are points upon which he can offer no explanation. It is probable that there may be reasons in the background, bnt they are of too subtle a kind for his observation. No classification of flavours beyond the very simple and elementary one that we have given above has ever been found possible, because wheu we get away from the primary sapors we soon arrive at very mixed and complicated flavours, which are difficult to describe in words, and which, for anything we know, may not convey to other* the same impression that they do to ourselves. As we have said, those things only which are soluble in the fluids of tho mouth can bo tasted, because thus only can their sapid particles penetrate tho superficial layer covering the tongue, and come in contact with the nerves which lie benenth it. For the same reason fluids are more quickly and easily tested than aohds, because they mix more readily with the secretions of the mouth. In order, therefore, to taste any substance, the best way is to make a solution of it and then tho solution should be moved rapidly over the surface of the tongue and discharged from the mouth. Such is the practice followed by the tea »nd wine tasters, and it is astonishing how many varieties they can distinguish in rapid succession, and with what nicety of discrimination. Indeed, it is niarrellons to what a degree of perfection the senso of taste can be educated. Thus Dr Carpenter tells us that " the taster to one «f tho extensive cellars of sherry at Cadiz or Seville has not the least difficulty in distinguishing the butt from which » given sample may have been drawn, although the number of different varieties of the same kind of wine under his keeping may not be less than five hundred. " The same thing, in a less degree, is often «ccn in those who devote much of their attention to the pleasures of the table These, then, are the conditions under which the sense of taste is most perfectly exercised : —When the sapid substance is m a fluid form, when it is passed rapidly over the surface of the tongue and then ejected from the month ; thus the nerves are excited without being exhausted, and one Mavnr may be tasted in rapid succession after another. But if a contrary method is adopted, and if the sapid substance is allowed to remain long in the mouth, the sensitive filaments of the nerves are exhausted, and become incapable of distinguishing one flavour from another. A familiar example is afforded by .in expeiiment which maybe tried at the dinner table. After taking a couple of glasses of some stiongly flavoured wine (Biich as port or sherry) in rapid succession, it will be found impossible with the eyes closed to distinguish whether the third glass is port or sherry. The nerves of taste arc not merely exhausted, but the previous sapors have left an impression bohiud them winch interferes with the discrimination of subsequent flavours In a similar manner, if wo may borrow au illustration from another sense, when colours are presented to the eye in rapid succession, the organ is unable to appreciate them, and the reiult is an appearance of white light. This is an optical illusion which is exhibited. As the sense of taito, like the other senses, depends upon the integi ity of those parts of the body through which it is transmitted to the brain, the reader will be surprised te loam that, in those extremoJy rare cases w Inch are on rccor 1 of children been bom without any tongue, taste has nevertheless been found present. One rciuaikable instance of this has been related by M. de Jussiun, in the Mttnoires dr V Academic Royal e det Scioncei. A girl, aged fifteen, was seen by him whose tongue was .il together wantiug, and who could nevertheless speak distinctly, swallow without difficulty, and distinguish tnitea with ninety No doubt in siuh a ease as this the nciv'cb, u''"i !' 'oliMaiily supply the tongue, tci mutated iv the floor ot thu nimith, and fie adjacent pirU, an I tins lcccnei impressions fiom sapid substances.