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Ep. 707Mar 23, 2023

The Mystery of Taste: Beyond Sweet, Sour, Salty & Bitter

Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing science of taste.

The Mystery of Taste: Beyond Sweet, Sour, Salty & Bitter
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The Mystery of Taste: Beyond Sweet, Sour, Salty & Bitter
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Are humans the only species that loves sour? Does everyone taste bitter the same way? And could there be flavors we can’t even comprehend yet? Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing science of taste, from the mysteries of salt to why dolphins can’t taste sweet. Plus, chef Khanh-Ly Huynh shares Vietnamese street food from Paris; Adam Gopnik investigates what it takes to become a culinary maestro; and we go to Bangkok for Thai Cashew Chicken.

Questions in this episode:

"Is there a method to selecting certain wines for cooking?"

"What’s the best way to judge heat level on a gas burning stove top?"

"Is it possible to make a chocolate Italian meringue?"