Food Euphoria

I think it's about time I start to share my thoughts on some of the food I have consumed in the last few days, because if I let it build up anymore I will never find time to write about it all.

While in London, I was taken out for dinner by 2 of my closest friends to celebrate (belatedly) my PhD defense/convocation. We went to a Moroccan restaurant by the name of Azou (www.azou.co.uk) which was awarded best North African Restaurant in "Ramsay's Best Restaurant 2010". It's very small, in a not so busy area of London, with, if I recall correctly, only ~8 tables (See photo). I was very excited because I have not had much experience with Moroccan food in the past, and there was a variety of items (and words!) on the menu which were new to me. Definitely a learning experience! For my appetizer I had king prawns in a spicy coriander sauce. First of all, praises to them for actually serving KING prawns, because although it appears on many menus, that's not often what you get. Second of all, the spicy coriander sauce was to die for. In fact, my friends were actually dipping their appetizers into my sauce and we ended up wiping the bowl clean with bread. I can't really think of how to describe it, and I'm not sure if it's because I don't know how, or it's because my entree was on a whole other level and that's all I can think about. As I write this, I can still taste it. Here is the description from the menu of what I had:

Tagine el Ain: tender lamb shank with prunes, apricots & almonds in an "intensely flavoured" sauce, garnished with sesame seeds.

I immediately got turned on after reading this, for a number of reasons. First, I didn't know what a "tagine" really was, so the unknown intrigued me. For those of you who don't know, it's an earthenware dish with a distinctive conical lid, which allows the steam to condense back into the food to enhance its' flavour. The food that is cooked in it is also called a tajine. Second, lamb shank is one of my favorite things to eat, so long as it's prepared properly. I don't often eat it because it can be hard to find and is not the leanest cut of meat in the shop, but I think I knew going into the restaurant that I wanted lamb that night. In addition, I find fruit pairs remarkably with lamb. Third, what does "intensely flavored" mean??? I had to know. And I didn't want to be told, I wanted it in my mouth. So, 15-20 minutes later it appeared in front of me with a side of couscous. When our server lifted the lid off of the tagine I was immediately engulfed by the brilliant aromas wafting around me. There is was, a nice lamb shank basking in this dark, rich and thick sauce with whole prunes and apricots and sprinkled with sliced almonds and sesame seeds. I could hardly wait. I knew it would be too hot to start eating so I just took a bit of the sauce from around the cooler edge to try it..... I now knew why intensely flavoured was written as "intensely flavoured".... because that it's basically the only way to describe it.  I can't even bring to fathom the variety or the amount of spices that went into it, but I can say that the combination was something I had never experienced before in any type of cuisine. It was a curry in a sense, but nothing close to any of the Asian or east/west/north/south Indian curries I've had in the past. It was outstanding. What I recall most was cinnamon, which is interesting in itself, and is usually not one of the dominant flavors in savory dishes. I'm definitely going to start experimenting with it more. The lamb shank itself was cooked to perfection... soft and falling away from the bone easily. By the end of the meal my eyes were not even open... it was that good. The union between the rich lamb, the sweet fruits, the intense spices of the sauce and the earthiness of the almonds and sesame seeds made for one of the best tasting and most euphoric dishes I have eaten in my life.

As a physiologist, I wish I knew what the pathway was between taste and smell sensory receptors and the state of euphoria that I was in. Whatever the connection is though, it's a strong one, and one that I think we all possess. It's just a matter of finding the foods that trigger it, much like many other mental states we experience in life. In life, where all of our senses are constantly bombarded with stimulation, we have to be able to sift through and find what suits our own bodies to be able to live life to its fullest.