Reconsidering Spoons: Scientists Test the Taste of Metal

After reading this, we’re guessing you’ll never look at your spoons the same way again. (Or your forks.)

A recent “spoon-tasting dinner,” involving the fine-tuned palates of Heston Blumenthal and Harold McGee, was set up in an effort by scientists to test the taste of solid metals and the effect they have on your food.

Apparently, the effect isn’t all that subtle: more metallic zincs and coppers enhanced dominant flavors and added a slight bitterness to food, while gold spoons provided a “smooth, almost creamy quality.” (In case you’re wary, there’s scientific backing to this. According to the article we consume somewhere around a hundred billion atoms with each lick of a spoon.)

Perhaps this will spur the rise of meal - and metal - specific cutlery; Edible Geography warns us to be on the look-out for zinc sauerkraut forks and gold-plated dessert spoons in wedding registries. Duly noted. Until then, we’ll probably just eat our dessert with whatever we have in our drawer. Or, even better, our hands.

Sensoaesthetic Spoons from Edible Geography