My sister-in-law has the remarkable knack of being able to taste things and discern the ingredients. It may take more than once, but she gets it. Is there a way to cultivate this talent?
More than once I have attempted to recreate a dish with disastrous results. My palette seems to be less trained than hers.
-- Rick R
You can retrain your palate to do the same thing. It's a matter of knowing what different ingredients taste and smell like. Cook simple dishes and add one spice or herb at a time. Also taste the spices/herbs by themselves without cooking them. Over time you will be able to do as well as she does. Most cooks who don't rely exclusively on cookbooks can do this.
