My workshop experience was, in a nutshell, a rollercoaster. At first the surprise was not there. I remember thinking maybe the berry didn’t work for me as well as others, or maybe my taste buds are wired a certain way, I’m physiologically deficient somehow. I thought this because many of the foods just tasted to me like the essence of that food, the purified and more voluptuous, crazily aggrandized version. Like my previous impressions were of a music box playing a tune, and now I’m experiencing the symphony version. But it’s still the same tune. In this way my association didn’t really change astronomically.
Then I tasted the vinegar, and I realized that yes, the berries are definitely having a crazy effect, because my impressions were now very different. The earlier lack-of-surprise was concerning some sweet foods (berries, chocolate). But when it came to the acidic or formerly unpleasant tasting foods, the berries have done a 180 degree shift. I was fully savoring the vinegar, it tasted like a rich and complex wine(!), and I would have willingly drank a whole glass of it.
I also experienced a dramatic reversal on the cherry jam. I bought this fancy organic cherry jam spread, and it’s always disappointed me — it’s too closed, too flat taste-wise, not sweet enough. But the berry just exploded the flavor and made it rich and alluring, as well as much, much sweeter of course. My associations went from negative (cough medicine) to highly positive (pop rocks!) The jam became delightful.
Regarding frequency: surprise is quickly tempered and becomes boredom, even annoyance. I think if this happened once a year, it would renew my appreciation for the taste of the foods, and make me more appreciative, more contemplative. I would savor my meals more. However, if this happened all the time, I would become annoyed and crave the “normal” taste of foods. My perception of both surprise and anticipation would decrease dramatically with increased frequency.
Examples of association changes, by food item:
White vinegar
Old association:
– “fish and chips”
– acid
– corrosive/destructive
– cleaning agent
– potato chip flavor
New association:
– wine
– burning (at end)
– sophistication
– smooth
– full-bodied/complex
Jalapeño:
Old:
– spicy
– Mexican food
– cooking
– chefs
– exotic
New:
– bitter
– ashy
– numbing
– nuclear
– overwhelming
Cherry Jam:
Old:
– cordials
– cough medicine
– blackberry
– school
– pie
New:
– super sweet
– acid
– poprocks
– (extreme!) tart
– (extreme!) candy