Food occupies a central position in culture today: discussions about health and the global food supply are an almost daily feature in news reports, cookery programs and whole channels dedicated to food and eating abound on our television screens, and social media outlets have given rise to an ever-growing community of self-proclaimed 'foodies'. Across the globe, taste is recognized as one of the most evocative senses, an integral part of the memory and identity of individuals as well as whole cultures.

Now in its second edition, this landmark anthology has been thoroughly updated to cover new scholarship on the senses, bringing together scientific and cultural approaches to taste, from molecular gastronomy and neurobiological studies to the voice of the professional chef. While the so-called 'intellectual' senses of sight and hearing are often privileged in sensory studies, this book addresses this imbalance by presenting essays that highlight the meanings and significance of flavors in cultures around the world. Combining iconic readings and original essays from anthropologists, sociologists, historians, philosophers, scientists and prominent food writers, this reader offers a range of insights into taste and its centrality in human experience.

Introduction: Perspectives on Taste
Part I. Taste: Physiology and Circumstance
Part II. Taste in History and Culture
Part III. Eloquent Flavors
Part IV. Body and Soul
Part V. Taste and Aesthetic Discrimination
Part VI. Fine Discernments and the Cultivation of Taste
Part VII. Taste, Emotion and Memory
Part VIII. Artifice, Artistry and Authenticity
Bibliography
Index