Cold Cookies and Culturalism

Abstract

Of our many sensory modalities, discussions on taste perception are widely fueled by its unconventional qualities. Gustation is unique in that it is inherently biological yet cultural. Sugar perception, particularly, has been a significant area of research in the field of taste perception—its historical, cultural, and scientific dimensionality parallels the unique qualities of taste perception as a whole. While our biology predisposes us to perceptive similarities, cultural dichotomies, especially between Eastern and Western societies, have embodied the divergence in gustatory preferences. To analyze how such dichotomies interact with a widely unresearched scientific factor— temperature—a mixed-method study was conducted between Korean and American participants, measuring how temperature and cultural background influenced the taste perception (hedonic value and taste intensity) of a classic American dessert staple—the chocolate chip cookie. Guided by quantitative measurements, a qualitative interview portion was conducted, where background information and verbal analyses contextualized the results from phase 1. Results revealed a positive correlation between cookie temperature and taste intensity as well as hedonic value. Additionally, it was also discovered that international travel served as a gustatory transition for both groups and historical events had a direct impact on dessert ‘staple’ choices by Koreans. Elements of nostalgia were exclusive factors to Americans when selecting childhood staples or expressing sentiments towards unconventional foods. When investigating perceptive changes through foreign residency, The American tendency to perceive a ‘forced change’ in eating habits reflected notions of Westernization and embodied historical interactions with colonization, the sugar industry, and the Korean peninsula.