What makes food attractive

I can only speak for myself and I’ll tell you what makes it all attractive to me as a blind person.

First, smell! I love the good smell of food: chicken, pork, or beef baking in the oven. The smell of cake and cookies. The smell of a good stew on the way, eggs frying, coffee brewing, or the healthy smell of a grill or barbecue.

I am also attracted to salads, but in this case, as I am unable to smell the presence of a salad, I depend on others to tell me what the salad is made up of. Most foods have a smell of their own and whenever I visit a buffet table I use my sense of smell to help me determine what to choose. Most sighted people also use their sense of sight to help determine whether or not they are attracted to various foods but for me this is no longer an option.

Of course, the smell of certain foods helps to remind me of specific occasions. The smell of cookies baking in the oven reminds me of Christmas time and Granny at work in the kitchen. Meat baking in the oven reminds me of my mom cooking up a storm as she prepares the Sunday meal, and the smell of stews simmering away on the stove reminds me of a cool day in the fall. The smell of grilling and barbecuing all remind me of a summer’s day seated outside on my balcony.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and learn more about how blind persons enjoy cooking and eating through their sense of smell. Visit www.nfb.orgwww.nfb.org to learn more.