Flavor is made up of many parts

One part is driven by our emotions and memories, while the other part we decipher using our senses: sight, sound, mouthfeel (texture), aroma, and taste. Think of the last time you cooked something; let’s say it was a caprese. You pick out tomatoes based on their vibrant colors and shapes and their wonderful aroma. You slice through the tomato and feel the flesh give away under the sharp edge of the knife. Now in goes the large ball of creamy, smooth mozzarella, a sprinkle of crunchy salt and cracked fresh black pepper, a splash of sweet-sour balsamic vinegar and borderline-pungent olive oil. You might crush and throw in few basil leaves. There’s so much going on at every stage of this prep. Your senses are in overdrive, guiding you along the way as you cook, and then come into play once again when you take a bite. You taste salty, sweet, sour, savory, along with the fresh aroma of herbs and luxurious nature of fat. These elements, all together, are what make most of us love a caprese.