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END S c i e n c e h a s c l a s s i f i e d f l avo r s i nt o f i ve m a i n g r o u p s , a s p e r c e i ve d by o u r t o n g u e s . T h e s e g r o u p s a r e: S we et , S o u r, S a l t y, B i t te r a n d - m o s t r e c e nt l y - U m a m i. M o s t f o o d s a n d b eve r a g e s h ave a c o m b i n at i o n o f f l avo r i n g c o m p o u n d s t h a t g i ve t h e m t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r “ f o o t p r i nt ,” t h a t c a n e n c o m p a s s s eve r a l o f t h e s e f l avo r g r o u p s . T h i s n ew s e r i e s i s d evote d t o t h e B i t te r f l avo r, a n d t o i t s i m p a c t o n o u r eve r yd ay l i f e. Evo l u t i o n a r y s c i e nt i s t s s u g g e s t t h a t t h e a b i l i t y t o d ete c t b i t te r n e s s evo l ve d a s a way t o p r ote c t
Got Rum ? May 2023 - 3 4
u s f r o m t ox i c p l a nt s a n d ot h e r s u b s t a n c e s , w h i c h o f te n t a s te b i t te r. A l t h o u g h i t g et s a b a d r a p, b i t te r n e s s c a n b e u s e d t o c r e ate we l l - r o u n d e d a n d d e s i r a b l e f l avo r p a l ate s . Yo u m ay n ot b e awa r e o f i t , b u t b i t te r n e s s i s p r e s e nt i n m a ny o f o u r f avo r i te f o o d s i n c l u d i n g c h o c o l ate, c o f f e e, wine and barrel-aged spirits. W h a t d o e s t h e w o r d “ B i t t e r ” m e a n? M e r r i a m - We b s te r d i c t i o n a r y d ef i n e s t h e w o r d b i t te r (w h e n u s e d a s a n a d j e c t i ve) a s: b e i n g , i n d u c i n g , o r m a r ke d by t h e o n e o f t h e f i ve b as i c tas te s e ns a t i o ns t h a t i s p e c u l i a r ly a c r i d , as t r i n g e n t , a n d o f te n d i s a g r e ea b l e a n d c h a r a c te r i s t i c o f c i t r us p e e l s , u ns we e te n e d c o c o a , b l a c k c o f f e e, m a tu r e l ea f y g r e e ns (s u c h as ka l e o r m us ta r d ), o r a l e. T h e o r i g i n o f t h e w o r d g o e s b a c k t o M i d d l e En g l i s h, f r o m O l d En g l i s h b i te r, g o i n g b a c k t o G e r m a n i c *b i t r a (w h e n c e O l d S a xo n & O l d H i g h G e r m a n b i t t a r “ a c r i d - t a s t i n g,” O l d N o r s e b i t r “ b i t i n g, s h a r p” ) a n d *b a i t r a - (w h e n c e G ot h i c b a i t r s “ s h a r p - t a s t i n g ” ), d e r i vat i ve s f r o m t h e b a s e o f *b ī ta n - “ t o b i te.” H o w D o e s “ B i t t e r ” A c t u a l l y Ta s t e? B i t te r n e s s i s n e i t h e r s a l t y n o r s o u r, b u t m ay at t i m e s a c c o m p a ny t h e s e f l avo r s e n s a t i o n s .