Salt, sweet, bitter, sour, umami
“Colours of the world (Spice up your life)
Every boy and every girl (Spice up your life)
People of the world (Spice up your life, ah)”
(No idea why I am having a Spice Girls moment—this is my second reference to them in this blog series—but here we are.)
Since I am turning 57 today, I had the clever thought to use a frame of Heinz 57 to write today’s blog. See? So clever. I had heard somewhere that there were 57 spices in Heinz 57 so my plan was to employ those 57 spices as a metaphor for this year and consider 57 ways that I would spice up my life—make it bolder, zestier, richer.
I did a bit of research at the Heinz History Center website (IKR?) and discovered that there are not 57 spices in Heinz 57 sauce but that “H.J. Heinz created the Heinz 57 trademark after spotting a sign advertising “21 Styles of Shoes” while riding an elevated train in New York City in 1896. Captivated, he decided to advertise Heinz products in a similar way. Heinz began counting, and stopped at 57, even though the company made many more products, because he liked the way it sounded.” Basically, he made up the number for the same reason I made up the spices—it sounded good.
Unfortunately, I am still turning 57—did not make that up—and I still need a structure for this blog.
So I started thinking about how spices add vibrancy to food and was reminded of the five tastes: salt, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami. How do these five tastes show up as metaphor in life?
Salt
The most foundational flavor—hard to even call it a spice. The secret ingredient in cakes and cookies. It can be coarse or fine. Table or special. Without it, everything is lacking and it is easy to over-do. In large quantities both a preservative and a ruin. Salt adds depth and texture and sometimes pain.
What can I add to this year to
make things last longer?
bring balance?
deepen experience?
Sweet
Sugar. It’s a drug. So alluring and so addictive. We say we don’t want it—okay, maybe just a bit—but then, when we think no one is looking, come back for more. It’s a favorite cheat and a symbol of devotion. A little something-something that makes anything special.
What can I add to this year to
make the everyday more special?
explore my desires without shame?
trade guilt for choice?
Bitter
The sexy sister of sweet—the bite that bites you back. Bitter is nature’s way of telling you this might be poison so you should step back, but you don’t have to. The pain might be worth it.
What can I add to this year to
enjoy a bit more risk?
move against popular opinion?
bite back?
Sour
Sometimes sour and bitter get confused, but they are distinctly different tastes. Bitter lurks; sour laughs. With genuine glee. You know what to expect yet the sour jolt surprises like the first drop on a roller coaster. And, like that roller coaster ride, you were scared when you started, but now you just want more.
What can I add to this year to
welcome surprise?
find distinction?
scare myself ? (With genuine glee.)
Umami
Just as bitter is an evolutionary tell of toxicity, the meaty umami taste lets the taster know they have found protein. And protein, we know, helps build muscle, fuels growth, and makes us strong.
What can I add to this year to
accept challenges?
find my strength?
continue to grow?
I am tempted to find 57 actions to answer these questions—validate my belief in Heinz 57’s 57 spices. But I don’t want to muddy the flavor, so I will share a few that came to me as I wrote this piece:
Salt: act on the intuitively obvious.
Sweet: find that perfect red lipstick.
Bitter: speak up for myself even when it creates conflict.
Sour: put myself in context that change me.
Umami: keep writing. And get out of the waiting room.
