Chinese Whispers

Gayle Chong Kwan, Chinese Whispers, Asia House, 2006

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Instructions and menu from the exhibition

MENU

MEMORY TASTING BOOTH

The Memory Tasting Booth allows you to experience the memorial power of food and participate in sensory conversations around ‘Chinese’ food. Under controlled conditions, including wearing blindfold and headphones, you will be able to focus on and recall memories aroused by different foods found in London’s China Town: dishes that are typically eaten; as well as more unusual food, often listed only in Chinese in restaurants.
Reflecting sensory profiling techniques used widely in the food industry, you can create your own Sensory Star Profile, but according to taste attributes decided by another participant. You will be able to record your own memories aroused by the dish you taste as well as deciding upon the taste attributes for the next participant’s food profile.

To participate:

1 Start at either Memory Tasting Booth

2 Select one dish to sample

3 You will be given a Sensory Star Tasting sheet to put it on your dish on which your food will be placed

4 Please put on the blindfold and headphones provided

5 Taste the food and take a moment to concentrate on the smell, flavour and texture, and to reflect upon any memories or stories that the food arouses

6 Create your Sensory Star Profile by marking on the sheet from 1 (least) to 5 (strongest) according to each attribute listed

7 Join up the dots to create your own Sensory Star Profile

8 Around the perimeter of the sheet write the name of the dish you tasted and your memories or stories you associate with it

9 Please write your name and adddress on the back of the sheet

10 You will be given a blank Sensory Star Profile sheet on which to write attributes, you think appropriate for tasting ‘Chinese’ food, for the next participant to use
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Memory Tasting Booth Left

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Roast Duck

Vegetable Chow Mein

Memory Tasting Booth Right

Chicken Claws in Black Bean sauce

Beef Tripe in Ginger sauce

Sea Cucumber, Fish Lip with Duck’s Webs and Bailing Mushrooms in hot pot

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Thank you for participating in the Memory Tasting Booth.  The information you provided will be collated to create Sensory Star Profiles of all the different dishes.  You will be sent a copy of your individual profile as well as a map of the communal sensory stars created by all those who participated.

Gayle Chong Kwan
2006

China Contemporary: Fantasy Landscapes
Asia House