Taste is an interesting sense, particularly as it’s dependent on having a good sense of smell. My mum lost her sense of smell and she always said that food became less interesting and it became all about the memory of the food and the texture.
When I think about food, I’m reminded of the television series M*A*S*H. Alan Alda’s character, Hawkeye, was known for sniffing his food before eating it - a habit that drove his bunkie crazy. I don’t know why this stuck out to me, but I’m a card-carrying M*A*S*H addict and can probably quote every single episode. Since I’ve brought this up, I should note that I think my obsession with watching this show, it was my go-to, especially in times of stress, was because it helped normalize a chunk of my life. My mum and grandparents spoke of WWII a lot - they lived in London so their stories fascinated me. Plus, my husband was a Vietnam veteran and he left this planet way too soon thanks to Agent Orange. I think watching M*A*S*H helped me understand what he went through on some level.
So back to the lighter side, I’m not sure being an HSP has impacted my sense of taste or how I react to tastes. I like simple food, I’m vegan and do find that a lot of foods have an odd after-taste, although it’s less of a ‘taste’ than an all-over ‘after-feel’. I would describe this, but it’s not particularly pleasant and I stay away from foods that cause this.
Food, to me, is all the senses - a vibrant plate of food with lots of bright, healthy colours will always tempt me. Then again, I’m British, so a cup of tea and a bit of cake will win, every time.
While writing these posts about the different senses, I have either remembered things I would have liked to include or realized how many different everyday activities impact the lives of HSPs. In that spirit, I think I will move on to posts that discuss some of the everyday challenges that might not seem so obvious. If you have a suggestion for a topic, please feel free to share!
If you’re curious about M*A*S*H, here is an interesting article in the New Yorker: New Yorker Article
Please note: what I describe here is my own experience and while many may experience the same or similar sensations, many of you may not. Everyone’s experience of being an HSP is unique and the more we can understand, the more we can support one another.