Once you understand taste in itself, then you can begin to gain insight into what you really like and do not. To come to that, you need to taste and think about how it tastes and which parts are what you like more or less. To find the details in the flavors, it is usually good to taste many similar flavors and start with something you love. If you love chocolate, taste several different chocolates and think about which ones you like best and why.
Why, is an important word to keep in mind when it comes to learning your own taste. Many times it may not really be about the sensory taste, but the smell or texture of the food instead. Most of us are differently sensitive to different sensory impressions and often have a sense that dominates. I myself am most sensitive to the feeling, of which the texture of the food is what I react to most. I love chocolate that melts in my mouth, but is it with fats with a higher melting point or that the chocolate is grainy, then I do not get the same feeling for it.
Think about what your dominant sense is and what is important to you. Start from what you like, but also dare to challenge and try new flavors. When you start thinking about the details instead of just the whole, it can also be worth revisiting things you do not like. Dare to taste and think about why you do not like that particular thing. Is it something you want and can learn to appreciate? Otherwise, you can find varieties of the food that you appreciate, even if you do not like all of them. I have learned to appreciate lingonberries in certain combinations, even if it is not something I like in itself (wrong bitterness for my taste)
I constantly challenge my taste buds and always want to try new flavors. Some of those flavors I'm happy to try only once, other things become new favorites that I can then learn to find the perfect variety of, which suit me in taste. At the moment I am learning more about African food, where I am mainly fond of the food from Ethiopia based on Injera.
Until next time: Eat what you enjoy and enjoy all you eat!
/Ann