digested and nutritious, and more sought
after by monkeys. Without good red vision,
it would be hard to find them — or
carotenoid-colored fruits — among the
green leaves. So leaves and fruits shaped
our vision. The pleasure we take today in
their colors was made possible by our
ancestors’ hunger, and the sustenance they
found in red-tinged leaves and yellow-
orange fruits.
Though a degree of astringency can be
desirable in a dish or drink — it contributes a
feeling of substantialness — it often becomes
tiresome. The problem is that the sensation
becomes stronger with each dose of tannins
(whereas most flavors become less
prominent), and it lingers, with the duration
also increasing with each exposure. So it’s
worth knowing how to control astringency (p.
284).
Irritation: Pungency The sensations caused