Why are we so drawn to black-colored food?
September 27, 2017 by DarcieRemember when Burger King caused a sensation a few years ago with its black-as-night hamburger bun? Even before that took the world by storm, we were awash in black-hued foods that popped up in our Instagram and Facebook feeds. Why do we flock to dishes that are so unnaturally dark-colored? Ligaya Mishan explores the concept in a delightful article in The New York Times Style Magazine.
Mishan isn’t discussing foods that are naturally noir like raisins, but rather foods that are not traditionally black that have been tinted to extremely dark hues. She points out that studies have shown that our palates can become confused when presented with foods that are not colored as we expect. For instance, a 1936 experiment by the chemist H. C. Moir, showed that when participants were presented with vanilla cakes that looked like chocolate cakes, they had incredible difficulty identifying the flavor.
One explanation for why we are drawn to these foods is that we expect them to be exotic, to taste unlike anything we’ve eaten before. Another, more esoteric concept is that perhaps “the role of unexpectedly black foods is to disrupt the everyday, to remind us that not everything is sweetness and light,” says Mishun. Whatever the reason, it seems like black foods will continue to capture our imagination and confound our taste buds.
Photo of Squid-ink pasta with sat cod confit from Saveur Magazine
Categories
- All Posts (6608)
- Antipasto (1983)
- Author Articles (241)
- Book News (918)
- Cookbook Giveaways (942)
- Cookbook Lovers (247)
- Cooking Tips (97)
- Culinary News (298)
- Food Biz People (537)
- Food Online (756)
- Holidays & Celebrations (257)
- New Cookbooks (139)
- Recipes (1440)
- Shelf Life With Susie (231)
- What's New on EYB (129)
Archives
Latest Comments
- KarenDel on Anything’s Pastable and Pasta Giveaway
- mhandakas on Modernist Bread at Home – Bread School Announcement and Giveaway
- KarenDel on Modernist Bread at Home – Bread School Announcement and Giveaway
- JMRoseen on Hot Sheet – Cookbook Giveaway
- KarenDel on 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver – Cookbook Giveaway
- roseryan1972 on Modernist Bread at Home – Bread School Announcement and Giveaway
- tucsonsandy on Modernist Bread at Home – Bread School Announcement and Giveaway
- tucsonsandy on 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver – Cookbook Giveaway
- arlojill on Who wins in this kitchen appliance showdown?
- WallaceGrover on Is preheating the oven necessary?