Introduction

What makes a recipe cooked in a home kitchen or the meal served at a restaurant taste spectacular and delicious? What makes it inviting and special? Why do we like some foods more than others? The answers to these questions lie in our perceptions of flavor.

Flavor symbolizes different things to different people. It might represent the aroma and taste of a dish prepared with love by a parent or grandparent, or an opportunity for food culture to be passed on to a younger generation. For some, it might jog the memory of a meal that provided comfort when the world was harsh or represent a path to an immigrant who longs to connect with the country of their birth as well as their adopted home.