If the scent of patchouli makes you think of head shops and Dead concerts, you may be surprised to know that the taste has none of the sweet incense overtones and is of dark,warm earth (i.e. dirt).
You may also be surprised to learn, as I was, that the scent of patchouli is extracted from fleshy green leaves and not tree-derived resin like its intensely aromatic cousins: frankincense and myrrh.
The real surprise was experiencing the scent from its unadulterated source; allowing me to break from its emotional and nostalgic connections and imagine what is possible.
Playing with Fire and Water 
Oh god. It has a very specific memory for me. Just moved to Oakland, fresh out of college, no plan, no job. Staying with a dear friend in a 3-person shared apartment. One of the housemates was an angst-ridden young woman, given to locking herself in her room for many hours at a time. And the thing that was amazing was the scent of patchouli emanating from her lair was so strong that it could fill the house just by wafting out from under her door. I don’t think I could ever bear the thought of eating something with that flavor!
LikeLike
I hear you Michael… the scent of patchouli stirs up memories that I ‘d rather forget.
A large part of this blog is exploring the myriad world of flavor, including our emotional connections to it. In order to do this, I’ve had to address and break through my own biases– kind of like flavor therapy.
Admittedly, patchouli was a tough one, but once I gave it a chance, I was able to see its culinary potential. it also helps that the taste of patchouli is quite different from the scent.
LikeLike