Just A Taste
It may seem odd that I'm writing about food here. Psychology, though, takes in the whole of what people do, and eating is part of that. Something caught my attention recently. Those opening bites of a meal tend to be wonderful, and you feel like you want more of this and more of that, and then without warning the food stops tasting the way it did a moment ago. The flavor flattens out. You keep eating, chasing that first incredible mouthful, and it never quite comes back.
I don't consider myself a foodie, but I think I finally understand why a gourmet dinner puts a small sorbet between courses to clean the palate. Candy does the same thing to me. Dark chocolate truffles are a weakness of mine, and yet the last couple never land the way the first couple do. My guess is that the taste buds fill up fast, and a good part of the pleasure just drains away.
So maybe that explains the tiny, almost delicate portions at fine restaurants, and the long string of separate courses that make up the meal. Does any of this have a practical use? Could it help with losing weight? Possibly. If the real enjoyment lives in those first few bites, then piling on more won't improve the experience. It might actually leave you less satisfied than when you started.
What do you think? Something to sit with for the day.