^{Image Source}

What flavor defines you?

What an interesting question.

Just the other day I did the 7-question test on what defines my taste. I don’t normally do these quiz riddles but it came up as I was searching the web.

The answer was "Umami."

Umami as a personality – “You’re down-to-earth, a little mysterious, and take pleasure from the finer things in life.”

Umami as a taste - “Umami is the savory or meaty taste of foods. It comes from three compounds that are naturally found in plants and meat: glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate.”

I must admit that both explanations are a bit like me. All my life, even as a child, I like to be down to earth and I love the savory and meaty taste of food.

The question of this contest is however what defines my flavor, not personality, and not taste.

Flavor is like a garden of flowers. You have to plant it, you have to water it, you have to nurse it and you have to allow it to grow and in the growth process, there are numerous challenges. Through this growing process, you will tweak different flavors.

As a child, I love the flavor of a sweet watermelon. If I think back I can see myself on my grandpa’s farm eating watermelon under the willow tree, water dripping down my face and arms. I can even smell the watermelon.

Later on, as I grew up the flavor went in the complete opposite direction. As I enter the teenager stage chocolate was the order of the day. Can this be due to Valentine and the dreaming about that “first love”? Soon it was to be replaced by salty popcorn. Umh… my first love taking me to the movies?

When I left home my taste changed completely. I fell in love with bread. Not only was it the cheapest food item I could afford as a working student but it was also the smell of fresh bread that caught me hook, line, and sinker. Till today I LOVE bread and my favorite, rye bread. A touch of sour, sweet, and bitter.

Spicy! That was my next stage and it all happened when I entered the adult world. All of a sudden my mouth no longer burned and my eyes no longer watered when I ate spicy food. Not only did I prefer spicy food but life all of a sudden had a spicy meaning to it. Life was interesting, enjoyable, challenging, and joyful.

Now that I am older I still have the craving for watermelon, popcorn, bread, and spicy food but the flavor that defines me is the ultimate, astringent.

Umami for me as a flavor – Mint! My umami flavor bomb!

“Mint is considered a symbol of hospitality and wisdom”

Give me a leg of lamb with mint sauce and you will put me in seventh heaven.

Mint in my pesto, mint in my toothpaste, mint in my tea, and mint in my garden. Fresh, dried, or in any product, mint is my flavor!
Oh, yeah, mint in my peas.

According to the experts, a “minty” person is someone alert, organized, vivid, highly intelligent, not boring, and a loyal friend. I am not so sure about the “highly intelligent” but for the rest, it is me.

When it comes to cooking mint is very versatile as it can be used fresh and cooked. The beauty of mint is that depending on how you use it you can bring sweetness or bitterness out of it. Yes, mint is a bitter herb like coriander and parsley.

🍃 There is nothing more beautiful to garnish your salad or desserts with than the bright green leaves of mint.

🍃 There is also nothing more refreshing than mint on a warm day. A couple of fresh mint leaves in ice-cold water with lots of ice is the best thirst quencher you can get.

🍃 There is nothing better than mint to uplift the flavor of chutneys, tzatziki, and ice cream especially if your mint leaves are a bit older and have that minty, bitter taste.

You can use the whole leave or you can chop them up and sprinkle it over your food. Chopped mint leaves with a bit of garlic, and olive oil is to die for on a fresh slice of ciabatta bread.

Ask my family and they will tell you that mint as in my peppermint crisp tart is also their favorite dessert. If you want to know how I make this family special. Recipe for peppermint crisp tart

What flavor will my age bring next? Only time will tell.

^{Image Source}