In association with Castello
Castello Extra Creamy Brie “Hack your Senses” Taste Experiments
I was recently asked if I’d like to take part in some scientific home experiments to “hack your senses” involving the new Castello Extra Creamy Brie . This took me back to my Home Economics days so I immediately jumped at the chance!
A bit of background to Castello
For those of you not acquainted with Castello, the company has a rich heritage which dates back to 1893 when Master Cheese-maker Rasmus Tholstrup would travel the world trying different cheeses and re-invent them. He respected traditional methods but applied his own creativity to create even more indulgent and exciting taste experiences. Today Castello are still inspired by his passion and by expertly blending skill and imagination they pursue and extraordinary taste experience for each and every product. The range in the UK consists of Traditional Danish Blue, Tickler Cheddar, Extra Creamy Danish Blue, Creamy Blue and the new indulgent Castello Extra Creamy Brie which is a creatively crafted take on the usual traditional white mould cheese and delivers a taste experience with each and every bite.
The Science
So to celebrate the launch of Castello Extra Creamy Brie the brand teamed up with Creative Neuroscientist Katherine Templar Lewis to dive into the world of Virtual Reality. Together they have explored how we can ‘hack’ into the brain using a few simple tricks to deliver the sensational taste they strive for in every bite. Following months of experimental work the Creative Neurologist is revealing to the world how you can actually change your perception of reality at home and ‘hack’ the senses to experience food and in this case Castello Extra Creamy Brie to a whole new level.
The Experiments
Touch
Did you know that the weight, texture, colour and shape of your cutlery can affect taste? These things can combine to enhance the user’s positive feelings. So in this first experiment in order to hack my senses I had to eat a sample of Castello Extra Creamy Brie from a smooth handled copper teaspoon and a ridge handled white plastic spoon. I experienced a beautifully creamy, mellow flavour from eating from the copper teaspoon where as the plastic one brought out a sharper and stronger flavour to the creamy texture.
Visual
Different colours can affect your perception of flavour and creaminess. So for this experiment I had a red, white and black plate that I had to focus on individually and slowly eat a sample of Castello Extra Creamy Brie. The white plate was meant to hack my senses by enhancing creaminess and/or sweetness and the red plate warn of danger. So what did I find. Well for me the Brie on the white plate did taste the creamiest and lightest in flavour. The red plate gave the Brie a more intense tang along with the creaminess. Finally the black plate gave the Brie the most intense strong flavour and was the least creamy in taste.
Auditory
I never realised that tempo and tone can have such an impact on our senses, I think I just heard years ago that they play fast music in fast food outlets to get you to eat quicker! Castello investigated which sounds, tones and tempos could hack the senses to give the strongest perception of creaminess. High-pitch, wind and string instruments with a ‘bouba-kiki’ effect were determined to be the strongest sensation of creaminess. So closing my eyes, I first had to listen to Mozart’s Flute Quartet in D Major (full of high pitches and a quick tempo) whilst slowly eating a sample of Brie which was meant to enhance the sweetness. Contrasting this, the second track I had to listen to whilst doing the same was Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No 1 in D Major which had a slower more relaxed tempo with no high pitches. I found the first track did indeed taste sweeter and creamier which I was surprised about as you’d think high pitch would have the opposite affect. The second slower track made the Brie taste much tangier and not sweet at all.
Summary
So what did I learn overall from the Castello Extra Creamy Brie “Hack your Senses” Taste Experimentss? Well first and foremost I really like the new Castello Extra Creamy Brie regardless of what I’m eating it from. But it was also fun to gain an understanding of how much our senses can be hacked to change our perception of taste. I knew that things like a stainless steel can affect flavour but I didn’t realise that colour and sound could also influence the way we taste things. Why not try out these experiments at home for yourself and let me know your findings? You can also join in the discussion about hacking your senses over on twitter @CastelloUK using the hashtag #CastelloCreamyBrie or head over to Castello’s facebook page..
If you want to surprise your senses with the immersive Castello Extra Creamy Brie experience then you can find it in Asda and Sainsbury’s with an RRP of £2. To find out more visit Castello.
NB Post commissioned by Castello, all opinions are my own.
glenn hutton
Very interesting read… I really love Brie, either cold or hot!
Camilla
Me too Glenn:-)
Sarah
What a cool project! I love food science! Not to mention, I’m a huge fan of brie!
Camilla
It really was and made even better for having brie in it-)
Anne-Marie
Such an interesting post! Makes me want to try it with all kinds of food! Amazing!
Camilla
Thanks Anne-Marie:-)
Namrata Cooks
Love Brie…the rich creamy texture…it’s sooo yummy !!
Camilla
This Castello one is particularly creamy and yummy-)
Julie
Very interesting post – who knew you could “hack” your senses by switching up your plate color or changing your cutlery. I’ll have to play with these ideas sometime soon.
Camilla
Yes it is truly fascinating how the mind can be influenced by our senses-)
Elizabeth | The Recipe Revival
I’ve actually never had brie cheese, but now I’ll have to try it!
Camilla
Oh my goodness, yes you must try it-)
Nicole
I love brie so shall be looking out for the extra creamy Castello brie! That is so interesting – I’m going to trial some sense experiments on my little fussy eater!
Camilla
That’s a great idea, kids love things like this:-)
Sara [Real Balanced]
Love this post!! So helpful! Brie is my FAVORITE!
Camilla
Thanks Sara:-)
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade
Brie is one of my many weaknesses! Well, cheese in general is. I just love the creamy deliciousness of brie, and how well it spreads on crackers. I could just eat it straight off the rind too
Camilla
Hope you get to try the Castello brie-)
Stephanie
This is super interesting!! I love brie 🙂
Camilla
There’s always something to learn:-)
Daniela
I love brie, but I didn’t know that the cutlery I used to eat/cut it could make a difference in how you taste it. How interesting!
Camilla
It’s super cool to know all this isn’t it-)
Allison hanson
Very interesting! I love to do food experiments or challenges at home. Thanks for sharing yours!
Camilla
Thank you Allison, I’m glad you like food science too-)
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I was not sure what to expect when i tried this but i really really loved it. Will be serving Castello for XMAS
Camilla
Me too Bintu-)
Julia
Wow! What a cool experience! I expected that the different spoon might alter the perception of the food but a different plate colour? This is really neat. I might try and do a similar experiment some day
Camilla
It is quite incredible Julia, I hope you get to try these experiments for yourself-)
April
Wow such an interesting post. I never knew our senses could play such a strong part in taste. I learned something new today.
Camilla
It’s quite an eye opener and these things have been happening all this time without us knowing-)
Julia
The taste experiment sounds very interesting. I would have never thought that your taste can be affected by all those things!
Camilla
It’s so interesting Julia, it now makes you realise that things like packaging colour can be influencing how we taste things!
Elinor Hill aka Beach Hut Cook
I am intrigued by the plate colours having an affect on taste. I had never thought of it before. Good price retail price for the cheese too.
Camilla
Yes Elinor, I have a red plate I bring out at Christmas, I didn’t realise it would have an effect on the flavour of the food! A good price point as you say for such a quality product-)
Helene
This is a dangerous discovery for a cheese addict. I am going to keep an eye out for castello products, we get all imported cheese too here, from all over the world. Brie is one of my favorite cheese because of the creamy texture and the more yellow it is the better, or so says my belly.
Camilla
Fab Helene, I can’t recommend it enough, so creamy and delicious:-)
Annie @ Annie's Noms
I love Castello cheese and Brie is a relatively new love of mine; I did not know they did an extra creamy version! I need to find this cheese!!
Camilla
It’s new Annie so you can find it in Asda or Sainsbury’s right now:-)
lisa
This is such a cool idea – I want to try this experiment with my husband! Maybe this weekend… And who doesn’t love a good brie!
Camilla
Great Lisa, do share your findings:-)
Alisa Infanti
So true how senses can alter taste. I am a wine fanatic and experiment like this all the time. So interesting!
Camilla
Hope you get to try out these experiments too:-)
Ceri Jones
The science behind the way we taste food is fascinating. I was aware that smell played a huge part. I love brie, will look out for this one next time! Best in a cranberry sarnie! Lol
Camilla
Do try it Ceri, so good:-)
Kavita Favelle
I absolutely agree that more than the sense of taste is involved in eating, of course we all know how strongly smell and taste are linked, but it’s true that audio, visual and touch make a huge impact too.
Camilla
Food science is so fascinating and these experiments were a real eye opener!
Samantha
This is really interesting! I went to culinary school and we talked some about how the setting and lighting and mood impacts people’s perception of the food, but we never got into a whole lot of detail. But this sort of stuff is really valuable for restaurants for sure! I love all types of food science.
Camilla
It is so interesting isn’t it Samantha, I love my food science too but we didn’t touch on this at college.
Angela
wow, I really had no idea all of those things would affect your perception of taste.
I think I would eat cheese in pretty much any way though. This looks absolutely lovely.
Camilla
It is fascinating Angela and the Castello Extra Creamy White Brie is superb-)
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
My daughters both LOVE brie. I am serving it this weekend at our neighbour’s Christmas party. It really makes the perfect app….especially warmed.
Camilla
Brie is so very versatile and fabulous warm as you say-)
Corina Blum
I never realised all our senses had such an affect on flavour. It’s fascinating to think that sounds can affect more than just the speed at which you eat and how you feel while you’re eating!
Camilla
Same here Corina it’s so fascinating that our senses can be hacked in this way!