Tomorrow I turn 33 years old, and that’s got me reflecting on how I’ve changed over time, my likes and dislikes.
I have this old photograph taken by my mother on my 15th birthday: Me, sitting at the kitchen table, looking both bashful and annoyed. On the table before me are my most favorite foods–a bucket of fried chicken from Lee’s Famous Recipe and a Barq’s cream soda.
For years, that was my go-to meal. Then, in my mid-20s, I gave up soft drinks–for all the obvious reasons. And while I still sometimes crave fried chicken, the taste tends to just disappoint me now.
Of course, palates evolve. In fact, did you know that the average taste bud’s life cycle is only 10 days? I have read that taste buds are constantly regenerating themselves–though, that process slows as we age. Our sense of smell dulls, too, which might help explain the physical factors of why food tastes different at different stages of our lives.
But interpretation of taste is based on a bouquet of factors, including chemical, textural and even our own memories. Perhaps that is why my relationship with fried chicken fizzled. When I look at that old photograph, I remember that moody, awkward teenage girl, and I am so grateful to be the age I am.