I sent out a survey to find out what you people thought about taste. Most of you associated taste with food (I don't suppose the picture of the cake helped keep things non-biased), secondly with attitude and way of life and finally a few thought of fashion.

When asked what taste was, answers ranged from the scientific actions of the tongue: "the message your tongue sends your brain when sensing food," "the explosion on the back of your tongue," "sticking your tongue on, round and in things (naughty!)" to life itself: "an overall experience," "personal choice," "behavior with others," "balance, moderation" and "refined living." One person combined the two: "oral sensation attached to emotion or judgment" (spitting in disgust? salivating? cotton mouth?). A couple folks believed it was making sure you were dressed appropriately.

Those who associate taste with food often remember most fondly the meals shared with others, eaten in foreign lands, or prepared by their mother. Other highlights of memory lane are cold beers on hot days, most things chocolate and orange chapstick. For fashion taste, some remember a time when they looked "hot" and one woman's best memory of taste was the day she met the cutest boy.

Most bad food memories were not too surprising including liver, olives, oysters, vomit, aspic and ear wax drip. Fashion disasters included prom dresses, the 70s and January sales in London. One poor fellow remembered that heavy metal + beer = jail. For a couple folks this question sparked some real emotion and they ranted about deplorable people who honk horns and wear socks with sandals. The woman who met the cutest boy realized he wasn't the smartest, thus providing two, two memories in one.

Change in taste was interpreted both as a change over time as well as a change from day to day. Most of you felt your taste in certain foods had changed over the years because you are willing to try new foods. A close second was the daily change based on mood or time of day. Several noted that sickness alters your sense of smell, thus changing the way food tastes. People associating taste with fashion or attitude attribute their change in taste to outside influences such as people they admire, books and magazines. A couple people mentioned bad moments as the culprit like the ruin of burritos in San Francisco's Mission District where the streets often smell like pee.

When asked how the world could change its taste to make it a better place, several folks were stumped and offered up only "what?" "duh" and "dunno." Those of you who stretched your brains a bit most wanted to eliminate fast food from the planet. You also want peace, more sensitivity and an open mind. The world should also make low fat taste like full fat, take walnuts out of carrot cake and stop making dumb, Hugh Grant movies. A few of you thought the world could not be changed and are, therefore, determined to make your own little circle better. One fellow seems to have already done so as he claims that in his world, everyone has good taste.

Finally, some numbers to see where you may fit in the Savor This circle.

You associate taste with: 65% Food 7% Fashion 18% Attitude 10% Other	Taste is: 15% Inherent 3% Learned 78% Both
You judge others' taste: 7% Never (liars) 28% Seldom (liars) 36% Weekly (better) 26% All day (ok then)	You'd least like to lose taste in: 69% Food 26% Attitude 15% Fashion

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