Tasty: A Curious Adventure Into How, What, and Why We Taste

The tongue is used to talk, to eat ice cream, to make faces, and sometimes to lick the plate. Thus begins a dazzling, extraordinary journey into the curious world of flavor.

Across its pages, Tasty tackles everyday questions with lucid and concrete answers: What does the tongue really do? Why do we crave sweets? How can an onion turn sweet and then bitter? Is spiciness a flavor or a sensation? Where does tasting end and smelling begin? As you read, you may find a flavor sneaking into your thoughts--or realize your mouth is watering.

From a four-handed duo--a poet-philosopher and a culinary critic--comes a vivid exploration that names the many tastes, marvels at them at every turn, discovers them in the most unexpected places, and explores how flavor connects with texture, smell, sight, color, and the emotions stirred by the full experience of food.