I went to visit the “Banquet” exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre, which made me explore the world of cooking… with my senses! I’ll tell you about my visit!
Touch
I started my journey by becoming an apprentice cook! With interactive games, I was able to learn how to properly whip cream, cut a potato with a mandolin, roll dough… and even cook an egg! Phew, I did pretty well!
Here you can see Bettie, Sasha and Alice, real mandolin pros!
The smell
Did you know that smell is responsible for 80% of taste? Without smell, everything seems bland… This is what several people with COVID-19 who had lost their sense of smell have noticed.
During my visit, I was able to smell several scents. And I learned that not everyone perceives smells in the same way! I even did a test: I had to smell a scent and try to describe it. I succeeded, but a gentleman after me couldn’t do it at all. Strange, right?
Taste
For the taste activity, I was given a blue candy. I had to taste it and try to guess the origin of its flavor.
Sounds easy? Not so fast! From a young age, you learn to associate tastes and colors. When color is absent, or misleading, it becomes harder to perceive a taste!
Luckily, I am an “Ace” of flavors, and I was able to identify the one in my blue candy! I won’t give you the answer, so you can try it yourself!
Hearing
The exhibition also allowed me to hear… with my elbows! First, I rested my elbows on speakers. Then, I put my hands on my ears… and voilà! I was able to hear a voice explaining to me how textures increase the pleasure of eating. The more you appreciate the texture of a food, the more likely you are to appreciate its taste too! That’s why soggy fries… are a little less “yum”!
It’s a technology that works thanks to what is called “bone conduction”. In fact, the waves that the speakers emit pass completely through your forearms, all the way to your hands, which transmit them to your ears!
View
The exhibition ends with a beautiful show inspired by a menu by French chef Thierry Marx. I sat at a large table, and a projection of images, sounds and smells began! It was as if I had teleported myself inside the menu! It was… mind-blowing!
This concludes my visit!
You want to see the exhibition Banquet you too? Go to the website of Info ace and find this article. Then, tell us what your favorite food is in the comments. We’ll give away two tickets to the exhibition! Good luck!
Marylis Beaudoin
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