2014 Gift Guide, Day 23

Aroma Matters

Just how much of  our sensory experience of food is informed by our taste buds, how much by our noses? I once did a radio show with Daniel Boulud, where we put clothespins on our noses, blindfolds on our eyes, and began eating jelly beans.  It was truly stunning; we literally could not tell the difference between cherry and licorice. Everything they say about taste being primarily smell is true. 

The Aromafork is much more appealing than clothespins and blindfolds. Drop a bead of lychee aroma into the tiny well at the base of this fork, stab a piece of roast pork, and voila!, you're eating pork while tasting fruit.  It's a cool trick - the kind that emboldens you to take flavor risks in the kitchen. 

Part elevated gag gift, part amateur science project, this is the perfect present for the curious cook. The 21 aromas that come with each Aromafork are natural, and the system seems designed to encourage delicious—if off-beat—flavor pairings.

Besides, it's so much fun.