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Page 1: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,
Page 2: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

1113113 How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods

How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New FoodsWhole Living, June 2010

http://www.marthastewart.corn/134386/how-expand-your-palate-and-enjoy-new-tcods

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Fruits and vegetables can taste as complex as any fine wine -- so maybe we should appreciate them that way. In fact, onerevolutionary approach to savoring produce is turning a whole-foods diet into a full sensory experience.

As the stepdaughter of a U.K. wine importer, dietitian and food educator Amanda Archibald watched the wine industry open upthe market through description. After all, browsing the labels in a wineshop carl be like taking a little holiday, with theimagination stirred by phrases that evoke the juicy promise of a summer-ripened blackberry or the cool mineral essence of ameandering stream.

"They managed to explore and explode our palates by connecting tastes we could identify or imagine with comparative tastesin wine," she says. "It has nothing to do with nutrition labels and everything to do with the senses, which got me thinking aboutmy own work g uiding people toward healthier food habits. By framing the taste in a familiar way, anyone can get cdmfortable with a new food."

If poetry could make the world of wine accessible, Archibald thought, then maybe she could unlock the adventure in a more prosaic area: produce. Statistically speaking,the average person’s diet is a repertoire of about 15 foods.

Working with noted cook and author Deborah Madison, Archibald created a way to expand that repertoire by devising a sensory association -- and appreciation -- systemfor fruits, vegetables, and grains, with char~s that group similar tastes, and sometimes textures, into flavor families.

Here’s how they work: Let’s say you like corn. Archibald places it in the sweet category. That means you’re also likely to appreciate butternut squash, parsnips, and carrots,which give you cooking options and textures very different from those of your old favorite.

If you love broccoli, which Archibald categorizes as earthy/pungent, you might like kohlrabi, rutabagas, and kale. Pear lovers could also consider pluots, cantaloupe,apricots, bananas, and strawberries -- all part of the mild/neutral family. And if you don’t have much experience with whole g rains but know you like nutty tastes, try quick-cooking couscous and bulgur or sturdier varieties such as wheat berries.

Exploring foods this way awakens the palate to subtleties, such as the small shifts of flavor between basil, fennel, and endive, which all share a licorice taste.

Try a Food FlightTo really put the theory to work, Archibald suggests comparing the foods in one family the way you would a flight of wine. Cut three vegetables from one of the flavorgroupings into small cubes and place them side by side. (For instance, use neutral veggies like bok choy, daikon radishes, and turnips.)

Then slowly chew each one, maybe with your eyes dosed to heighten sensitivity, and try to define the taste and texture that set it apart from the others. You’ll notice eachof your neutral vegetables has a certain pungency -- but one is sharp, another peppery, and the third offers a quiet spark.

If you have a vocabulary for the tastes and textures you like, it will be easier to find new healthy foods. You’ll be less likely to shy away from the more exotic fare at thefarmers’ market, and as you expand your whole-food choices, you’ll expand the amount of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber you take in.

"Eating foods in their most whole, unprocessed, natural state is the optimal way to heIp move our bodies toward the pleasure of wellness, of feeling vibrant and alive,"Archibald says.

By emphasizing the pleasurable aspects of healthy food and celebrating individual taste preferences, Archibald hopes to lead people from thinking about eating better toactually doing it.

"Hearing something is good for you makes people rebel," Madison says. "l love science, and I love knowing what’s in foods and how they work in the body, but I believeyou have to present people with food they want to eat rather than coming from the measure-based view of how you’re ’supposed’ to eat five g rams of this and four ouncesof that."

Archibald adds, "There’s not much direction for how to put healthy foods together. We don’t teach people how to cook, how to taste, how to build out their palates in a waythat is nourishing on every level. That’s where change begins to take hold."

"Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington, O.O.’s Center for Mind-BodyMedicine. "So when you start eating whole foods and you add in good fats, sea salt, a squeeze of lemon, the flavor starts to come alive."

Plus, loving what you eat has its own rewards. "Whole foods are extraordinarily sensuous," K~.tz adds. "Don’t we deserve that?"

E×olore the Nine Flavor Families

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Page 3: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Fruit and Vegetable Flavor Familieshttp:!!www.wholeliving.com/136106/fruit-and-vegetable-flavor-families#45316

Feed Your Senses

Dietitian and food educator Amanda Archibald wants toexpand your palate. The average person’s diet, after all, is a

repertoire of only about 15 foods. But she believes that if you

like one type of food, you’re likely to enjoy others with similar

tastes or textures.

Working with noted cook and author Deborah Madison,Archibald created five flavor families for fruit and nine for vegetables. Find your favorite

foods among the following slides, then give the other items they’re grouped with a try.

To really explore the flavors, make your own "flight" by cubing three from each family

and savoring the similarities, and subtle differences, between them.

Classifications copyright Field to Plate 2010Read Amanda Archibald’s Full Story

FRUIT

Papayas,

blueberries,kumquats,quinces,

grapes,cherries, pineapple, kiwis.

oranges,

dates, figs,

nectarines,mangoes, honeydew melon.

Page 4: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Fruit: #~i~dApricots, strawberries,

bananas, cantaloupe,

pears, pluots, plums.

Fruit: Crisp3

Honeydew melon,Asian pears, summer

apples, pears.

Fruit: SmoothMangoes, bananas,

dates, figs, apricots.

VEGETABLES

Celery, asparagus,

chard,~ mizuna,cucumbers, green beans

Veget.ab~es: Swee.t Vegetables: Spicy

Bell peppers, snap peas, Radishes, onions,.2.~’~ d~ ....

beets, carrots, fennel, " . . ’turnips, ’watercress, .~

sweet potatoes, parsnips: arugula,’leeks,chile peppers, basil

Page 5: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Ve#eta~es: Bitte~°

Chicory, radicchio,

frisee, dandelion leaves,

eggplant, ~escarole. ~

Veojetables: Earthy

Beets, broccoli,cabbage, collards,

kohlrabi,mushrooms, rutabagas

Vegetables: Neutra~

Zucchini, chard,iceberg lettuce, daikon,

eggplant, potatoes,spinach

Ve~j~.tab~s: ~’a~’~

Lemongrass, sorrel,

tomatillos.

Ve#etab~.s: But~e~Artichokes, peas,

edamame, mushrooms,

aspar_agus, avoca~dos.

Vegetables: Anise

Fennel, basil,

,,..-~n dive..~-

Page 6: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

1/13/13 Types of Lettuce and Salad Greens

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Salad GreensCustom Search

The "g teen salad" or"garden salad" is most often composed of leafy vegetables such as lettucevarieties, spinach, arugula, or escarole. The salad leaves are cut or tom into bite-sized fragmentsand tossed together (called a tossed salad), or may be placed in a predetermined arrangement(called a composed salad).

LettuceOf all the greens available for salad making, four are considered types of lettuce.

Homemade Salad Dressinq RecipesItalian Leafy Green Salad Recipes

Rice and Grain SaladsPasta Salads

Summer Dinner Salads

The first is iceberg, also known as crisphead. It has a round, compact pale-green head and will last for over a week in therefrigerator because it is 90% water. Generally the mildest of the lettuces, iceberg lettuce is valued more for its crunchytexture than for its flavor. It is typically eaten cold and raw in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and in many otherdishes. Iceberg lettuce can be very satisfying when garnished with a heavy dressing such as Buttermilk-Blue Cheese.

The second type of lettuce is romaine orcos lettuce. The heads consist of long pale-green leaves that are crisp in texture.When preparing romaine, it is best to discard the dark cuter leaves as well as the darker tops of the inner leaves.The cdspest~ most flavorful parts of the romaine are the lighter leaves near the center. You will sometimes see theselabeled as romaine hearts. Romaine pairs well with other crunchy salad ingredients such as cucumbers and onions, aswell as fruit and nuts. It is the traditional lettuce used in Caesar salad. Romaine is best served with creamy dressings ordressings that have some richness.

The third type of lettuce is the butterhead variety. It it also sometimes referred to as butter crunch lettuce. Butterheadlettuces have small, round, loosely formed heads with soft, buttery-textured leaves ranging from pale green on the outerleaves to progressively smaller pale yellow-g reen on the inner leaves. The flavor is sweet and sucoutenL Because theleaves are quite tender, they require gentle washing and handling. There are 2 main varieties of butterhead lettuce.The first is Boston or butter lettuce and the second is Bibb or Kentucky limestone. Both vadefies lend themselves to lighterdressings because of their soft texture and mild flavor.

The fourth type of lettuce is the loose-leaf vadety. This variety of lettuce does not form a compact head. The leaves on ahead of loose leaf tettuce arrange themselves around a central stalk and are generally large and curly. The leaves are soft,

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Page 7: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

1/13/13

~ something orcreamy.mild

Ads f~y GoogI~ Pasta Salad Recipe Lettuce Salad Dressinq

Types of L~ttuce and Salad Greens

tender, and mild in flavor. To use a whole head, you can twist the base of the lettuce to separate the leaves. Loose leafvarieties include red leaf, green leaf, Ruby, and Oakleaf. In the market, look for heads with firm leaves and no signs ofdiscoloration, slime, or spotting. The dressing should not overpower these delicately flavored greens, so choose

Salad GreensIn addition to the four types of lettuce there are many other greens that fill our salad bowls.These are a few of the more common ones.

Arugula is also called rocket or rucola. When young,the dark green leaves are small and tender, but asthey mature they become large and a bit tough.Arugula is a member of the mustard family but it is notas bitter as mustard greens. Its taste is peppery anda little nutty. The best dressings for arugula arecitrus-based or those enhanced with sweetervinegars like balsamic.

Belgian Endive is in the chicory family. It grows incompact torpedo-shaped heads about 5 inches longwith white leaves tipped with pale yellow green. Theleaves have a mild crunch and are bitter in taste. Touse, cut offthe end and separate the leaves. Endivedoes well with a dressing that tempers the bitterness.It does well with creamy dressinqs, mustard-baseddressings, or with sweeter citJ-us dressings.

Chicory is also known as curly endive or frisee. Ithasjagged spidery leaves that grow in open heads froma compact center. The leaves are crunchy andassertive in flavor- bitter, but not as bitter as Belgianendive or radicchio. Chicory needs a strong-flavoredvinai re~, preferably based on red wine or sherryvinegar.

Sprinq Mix Lettuce

Salad Spinners

Great for washing and drying lettuce, herbs, andgreens The drier your leaves, the better salad

dressings will adhere and the less mushy yoursandwich bread will become.

Dandelion has long, deeply notched leaves that tendto be slightly bitter. It is good raw or cooked.Dandelion greens need a strong dressing and pairswell with chopped hard-boiled eggs and crisp baconor pa ncetta.

Prepare Oil Mister

Prepara’s Tabletop Mister is a healthy alternative toaerosol spray can oils. Spray a light mist of oil directly onmeats, fish and vegetables for grilling. Or, use the misterwhen baking to lightly grease cookie sheets or baking

pans. You can fill the mister with your choice of oils.

Escarole is also in the chicory family. It has broad flatdark-green leaves in compact heads and has a bit of acrunch. Escarole can be eaten raw or cooked andneeds a full-flavored dressing.

Mache is also known as lamb’s lettuce. Itis mildlysweetwith little round dark-green leaves. Mache needsa mild dressing.

BonJour Salad Chef Salad Dressinq Mixer

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Page 8: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

1/13/13 Types of Lettuce and Salad Greens

Mesclun is a mix of assorted small, young salad leaves.(The word comes from the Latin for ’miscellaneous.’) Thetraditional mix includes chervil, arugula, lea~ lettuces andendive in equal proportions but modem mixes mayinclude other greens. Mesclun is usually sold in a plasticbag or container and is sometimes labled "Spring Mix." Itwill last up to 5 days in your refrigerator.

Microgreens are tiny versions of fully grown leaves andare harvested when very young, about a week old. Theyare small but intense in flavor and can be expensive.

Radicchio is a member of the chicory family and is native to theVenetc region of Italy. The three types are named after towns inthe region. Treviso has elongated red and white leaves (the greenversion is Pan di Zucchero.) Rosso di Verona or Palla rossa is around, compact head of red leaves veined with white.Castelfranco comes in rosette-like heads and the leaves are whiteand pale gold with small veins of red and pale green. Radicchiois bitter and nutty in flavor. Itcan be eaten raw or cooked. Wheneaten raw it needs a dressing that is sweet or nutty.

Spinach is a perennial favorite; the leaves are bright green.It comes in large bunched leaves with stems and needs to he wellrinsed as it tends to be very sandy. It can also be purchasedpro-washed in bags. Baby spinach leaves are smaller and moretender. Avoid purchasing spinach leaves that are starting toyellow, Spinach takes to a variety of dressings as it is neutral andmild.

Oxo Good Grips 2-piece WoodenSalad Server Set

Watercress has small round dark-green leaves on crunchystems. It comes in bunches, some with roots attached. It is verypeppery and nutty. Watercress offers a good contrast infruit-based salads and also pairs well with endive. It does bestwith citrus dressinqs. Proqressive International Lettuce Keeper

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Page 9: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

A Visual Guide to Salad Greens

Get to know your mesclun mixText by Esther Sung; photos by Chris Astley

We’ve grouped these vegetables under "salad greens" because they’re often served raw and can act asa bed for other salad ingredients. They also add quite a bit of texture and flavor to any dish. If you planon cooking them, be sure to make it a quick saut~ or wilting; anything else will cause the delicate greensto lose their unique characteristics. Remember also to wash them thoroughly, especially before eatingthem raw.

For clarification’s sake, lettuces can be generally placed in one of four categories: Iooseleaf, butterhead,crisphead, and romaine. A prime example ofa crisphead is the iceberg lettuce: Its round head iscomprised of tightly packed leaves. Butterheads are also round, but the leaves are more loose and havea smoother texture than those of their crisphead cousins. The elongated leaves of romaine and its thickwhite rib are its outstanding physical characteristics. As the name states, Iooseleaflettuces are looselygathered, growing as a rosette, enabling the grower to just remove the leaves rather than harvest theentire plant.

Not too long ago, some of these greens were deemed exotic or fancy, but they have made their way intothe mainstream and can be found in your local grocery store or farmers’ market. To see when these maybe available at your local farmers’ market, check out our interactive seasonal ingredient map. Many ofthese salad greens are also easy to grow yourself; for seeds and seedlings, consult your local gardeningsupply shop or an online source such as cooks~arden.com.

Page 10: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Fris~e

Alternate names: Curly endive, chicory, chicory endive, curly chicoryCharacteristics: These curled leaves tinged with yellow and green are slightlybitter in taste, have a crunchy stem, and add a lot of texture. Their pale green,white, and yellow coloring is a result of the producer shielding them from lightduring the growing process. Fris~e is closely related to escarole.Click here for recipes usinq fris~e ~

Arugula

Alternate names: Rocket, Italian cress, Mediterranean rocket, rugola, rugula,roquette, rucolaCharacteristics: Possibly the most well-known variety of salad green, arugulaforms the basis of many a salad. Originating from the Mediterranean, thisgreen tastes more peppery than bitter and is especially associated with Italiandishes like pesto. The edges of baby arugula aren’t as defined.Click here [or recipes usinq aruqula ~

Endive

Alternate names: Belgian endive, French endive, witloof, witloof chicory,Belgium chicoryCharacteristics: The unique oval shape, soft satiny texture, and slight bitternessall mean endive’s a great addition to any salad. It’s scooplike shape makes foredible servers, perfect for small appetizers like these "spoons."Click here for recipes usinq endive, click here

Radicchio

Alternate names: Chioggia, red chicory, red leaf chicory, red Italian chicoryCharacteristics: Pronounced "rah-dick-ee-yo," you can find this deep-red-purplevegetable sold either as a compact round head, as pictured above, or shapedlike its relative, endive. The bright coloring makes it stand out. When cooked,the red-purple hue turns brown and what was once bitter becomes sweet.Click here for recipes usinq radicchio ~

Mizuna

Alternate names: Japanese greens, spider mustard, xue cai, kyona, potherbmustard, and California PeppergrassCharacteristics: This Japanese mustard green is typically sold as part of apremade salad mix but can be purchased loose at the farmers’ market orspecialty shop. Mizuna has a relatively strong pungent flavor when compared toother salad greens, but its flavor won’t overpower a dish. The small jagged

edges that make mizuna look like miniature oak leaves add a lot of texture.Click here [or recipes usinq mizuna ~

Page 11: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Escarole

Alternate names: Batavian endive, scarole, broad-leaved endiveCharacteristics: Related to fris~e, this mildly bitter leafy green is large and crisp.Escarole is often used in soups and paired with beans, reflecting its popularity inItalian cuisine.Click here for recipes usinq escarole ~

: 7 Baby beet greens

Characteristics: When the leaves of the beet top are immature, they are tenderand slightly spicy. The purplish-red veins are visually striking and can dress up anysalad. When wilted, the veins become brighter in color and a little bit sweeter.Click here for recipes usinq beet qreens ~

I~ 8 Cress

Characteristics: Pictured is watercress, the most popular type of cress sold in theUnited States. Other varieties include upland cress, curly cress, and land cress. Apeppery taste is characteristic of all varieties. Sold in bunches, watercress has atough, fibrous stem and small green leaves. Be sure to wash cresses thoroughly,since they often grow in sandy ground.

Click here for recipes usinq watercress ~

Tatsoi

~? Alternate names: Tat soi, spoon cabbage, rosette bok choyCharacteristics: The small, rounded leaves of this Asian salad green have a mild,mustardlike flavor. The texture is similar to that of baby spinach, and one can beswapped for the other. Baby tatsoi is usually sold loose, but when mature, tatsoican be purchased whole, in the shape of a rosette, and it is often cooked intactin Chinese stir-fries. Like mizuna, tatsoi is often available only at the farmers’market or specialty gourmet shops.

Click here for recipes usinq tatsoi ~

Butterhead lettuce

Alternate name: Butter lettucePictured, top to bottom: Boston, bibb (limestone)Characteristics: A type of head lettuce, the leaves of Boston and bibb lettucesare soft. And as this variety’s name implies, the texture of a butter lettuce isindeed smooth like butter. Bibb is the more expensive of the two and is usuallysold in a plastic container to protect the delicate leaves.

Click here for recipes usinq bibb and Boston lettuce ~

Page 12: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Romaine

Alternate name: Cos lettuceCharacteristics: This large leafy lettuce is stiffer than most; a thick center rib gives ita real crunch. The rib also gives this lettuce a slight bitter taste. This is the lettuceoriginally used when the Caesar salad was created.

Click here for recipes usinq romaine

M~che

Alternate names: Field salad, lamb’s lettuce, corn salad, field lettuce, fetticusCharacteristics: Sometimes sold with its soil still attached, this salad greenimparts a mild and slightly sweet flavor to a salad. Because of the small size of theleaves, trying to create a salad with a base of m~he can be expensive. Its leavesare also very delicate and will bruise easily, so handle with care.Click here for recipes usinq mSche ~

Oakleaf

Alternate name: Oak leafPictured, left to right: Red oak leaf, green oak leafCharacteristics: The shape of this Iooseleaf lettuce’s leaves are similar to that ofthe oak tree, thus, its name. From a distance, one could mistake it for red leaf andgreen leaf lettuce, but a closer look will reveal differences in shape and texture:Oakleafs are a little shorter and more squat, and the tops of their leaves have a

softer texture than their red leaf and green leaf counterparts. This delicate, tender lettuce acts a greatbed for food and won’t compete with other flavors.Click here for recipes usinq oakleaf lettuce ~

Looseleaf lettuce

Alternate names: Leaf lettucePictured, left to right: Green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuceCharacteristics: They have a mild flavor and are very pliable, despite the crunchystem. Their uneven ruffled surfaces add layers of texture to salads. Because theleaves are so large, it’s best to tear them up into bite-size pieces.

Click here for recipes usinq leaf lettuce ~

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Page 13: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Am I Hungry? Page 1 of 2

By Michel~e May, N.D.Author of Eat What You Love Love What You Eat: How to Brea~,; Your Eat-Repent-Repeat C~ycle

On a recent trip "down under" to visit my husband’s family, we experienced the powerful connection betweenwine tasting and mindful eating.

New Zealand and Australia are known for their outstanding "newworld" wines. Although we weren’t in the heart of wine region ineither country, we managed to find some interesting tastingrooms. One was housed in an old mortuary. 1 know; that shouldhave been our first clue. They served old (and I don’t mean aged)wine in little plastic communion-style cups. The wines had creepynames that bore no relation to the grapes that gave their life forUS.

The wine maker, a retired chemist, bragged, "Making wine iseasy." I whispered in my husband’s ear, "Making good wine--nowthat’s the hard part!"

It dawned on me that sometime during the 15 years since I quit drinking white zinfandel from a box (not thatthere’s anything wrong with that), I had actually learned to appreciate decent wine. I’m no expert but I knowwhat I like (and it isn’t usually served in plastic). I had to ask myself, how did I become a bit era wine snob?

The same way ~ became a foodie: one taste at a time.

By simply deciding to be attentive to what I eat (and drink), I’ve become much more aware of the aromas,flavors, and textures of food. More importantly, I’ve become much more connected to the experience and itsaffect on my body.

Just as I know that there’s an invisible but ve~ real line between enjoyment and abuse of wine, there’s asimilar line that many people cross with food. The more mindfu~ you are, the less likely you are tocross that line.

This simple but profound lesson has allowed me to enjoy food more while eating less. I’m no longer dazzled bylarge portion sizes or distracted by packaging, health claims, or other attempts to lure me into eating marginalfood (any more than the wine cellar viewed through the hole in the floor where they used to raise the casketcould distract me.into believing that wine was worth drinking!).

I’m certainly no sommelier, but I am grateful to have discovered the similarities between the enjoyment of bothwine and food in moderation. So here’s my take on...

The Basics of Wine Tasting and the i~indful Eating Corollaries

SERVE

Wine Tasting: Pour your wine in a clear, stemmed glass, filing it only halfway or less so there’s room to swirl.

Nndful Eating: Serve your food on a plate rather than eating it out of cartons, bags, or other containers thatare destined for the dump or that prevent you from fully seeing what you’re putting in your mouth. And if you’vegot so much food that you can’t even see the plate, you’ve probably got more than you actually need.

SEE and SNFF

Wine Tasting: Notice the color and viscosity of the wine. Swirl it gently in the glass. Put your nose in and sniffdeeply to appreciate the aromas that hint about the terroir (the climate, soil type, drainage, wind direction,humidity and other factors in a particular vineyard) and the winemaking process used.

~/lindful Eating: Notice the colors, textures, and aromas of your food. Take a moment to consider and expressgratitude for the food on your plate and everything and everyone that contributed to getting it there to nourishyou-from the sun, the soil, the water, the farmer or rancher, the truck driver, the clerk, the chef...

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Page 14: How to Expand Your Palate and Enjoy New Foods · "Your mouth is like a blank canvas," says Rebecca Katz, author and executive chef of the Food as Medicine Training Program at Washington,

Am I Hungry? Page 2 of 2

SENSE

Wine Tasting: Sip a small mouthful of wine. Swish the wine over your tongue and open your mouth slightly asyou inhale, bringing the aromas into the back of your nose.

Nndful Eating: Put a small amount of food in your mouth and set your fork down so you can focus on the bitethat is in your mouth rather than the next one. Chew your food thoroughly as you breathe to bring the flavorsup to the back of your nose where much of the "taste" of food actually comes from.

SAVOR

Wine Tasting: Mentally describe the flavors, identifying subtleties, similarities to other familiar flavors, andnoting how the wine complements or detracts from any food you’re eating.

[t/lindful Eating: Be aware of the flavors, textures, and temperatures of your food. See if you can identify theingredients and notice how they layer to create new flavors.

SPIT (or SIVIALL BITES}

Wine Tasting: Spit out the wine if you’ll be tasting several wines in a row so you don’t dull your senses orcross that invisible line between enjoyment and intoxication.

Nlindful Eating: DON’T spit out the food! Instead, take small servings and small bites so you can paceyourself. This will help you keep from crossing that invisible live between enjoyment and misery.

Like tasting wine, the basic tenets of mindful eating are to eat with attention and intention: attention to theexperience and the intention of enjoyment without having to pay the price of excess.

That is what it means to eat what you love, and love what you eat. Now, that is something to toast!

(From Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle - Download thefirst chapter free!)

Home I Affiliate Program [ Contact Us [ Privacy Policy I SitemapCopyright © 2004-2012, Michelle May, M.D. All Rights Reserved.

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