The breeze is cool on my face as I soak in the dying light of day. My cup of ice cream is in one hand and a spoon is in the other, perfectly poised to transfer another bite of sweet heaven into my mouth. Across the table is my friend, recounting a story to me; when I look at her I feel my heart swell to twice its size in love. I am present in this moment so wholly, willing myself to take in every inch of my surroundings in order to preserve them perfectly in my mind, just as one would preserve a beautiful flower in a book. From this moment onward, fresh basil ice cream from Blank Slate Creamery will always bring me back to this evening, as I relished my friend’s company and conversation.
So far, this summer has been one of light and love. After a tough year thanks to the sophomore slump, the start of the summer has been a chance for me to finally take a deep breath and begin to invest more time into the people and activities I love. With this intentionality, a lot of the memories I have made with my loved ones this summer have revolved around food. Food is and always will be the pinnacle of how I spend time with other people — it offers a chance to sit down with someone, whether in a restaurant or at home, and fully be present in their company. To me, there is nothing more special than sharing a meal with someone, laughing as we make memories and spend purposeful time together. But, as I’ve spent more and more time with food, I have also found myself on a parallel mission: to find the perfect bite.
It began innocently enough. I wished to find the perfect split scoop combination at Blank Slate Creamery, my favorite ice cream shop. A split scoop is still one serving of ice cream but is made up of two different flavors of your choosing. My goal was to find the tastiest combination of ice cream, which was further encouraged by Blank Slate’s ever-changing menu. As of now, blueberry pancake and lemon bar are my top choice. This simple goal slowly began to make itself apparent in other food endeavors and soon, I found myself searching for the perfect bite in every food establishment I went to and in every meal I ate. My summer crush on the perfect bite began, and now it is in full force, an ever constant yearning that fills my mind as I venture far and wide in search of the optimal combination of flavors that will satiate me.
Yet, my friends tend to opt for different split scoop combinations that I personally would never pick. Thus, I recognize that my perfect bite might not be your perfect bite. Our tongues are home to small bumps called papillae, which is where our taste buds reside. Taste buds react to the five different flavors in food: bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami, which can be described as a deeper, richer savory flavor. The number of taste buds on a person’s tongue varies, meaning that we all have different reactions to food depending on the amount of flavor receptors we possess and in what regions they reside. Furthermore, there are some people who have more papillae and some people who have less, which also affects the intensity of a dish.
Our upbringing might also affect the way in which we view and prefer food. Culture, access to certain foods, ingredients and environment all play a role in the foods we like and dislike. For example, I grew up under a heavy South Asian influence; my normal dinners would consist of traditional North Indian dishes that had a penchant for spices and rich, aromatic flavors. Thus, I find myself naturally drawn to spicy foods — never skimping when adding red chili flakes or sriracha to my meals.
But for those who did not grow up eating this type of food, South Asian flavors may be alien — more so a treat than home in a bite. Access to ingredients that our environment offers also plays a factor in this; the foods we enjoy have every bit to do with what foods are actually available, as much as what we like to eat. For example, as someone who lives in the Midwest, peaches have always been a special treat but never a consistent part of my diet. However, for someone who might live in, say, California or Georgia, where peaches are grown and are an important part of the state economy, they may be less of an occasion.
Beyond just the consumption of food, I’m also beginning to uncover a passion for the process of making and preparing food. Behind cooking lies creation — a place to tap into your imagination, with no limitations as to where the artistic endeavor will take you. As the hardships of the school year began to taper, I found myself with a lot more time on my hands and a need to pursue the creativity that I felt was stifled by the demands of academic productivity.
When the day gives way to night, now, instead of coming home with the intent to relax after the demands of the school day, I find myself in the kitchen, meticulously preparing my meals. Sometimes I play an audiobook or my favorite playlist, but more often than not, I perform my preparation in silence, opting to listen to the symphony of my knife hitting the cutting board and the sizzling of the onions in the pan. Cooking is a vessel; it is a way to create something new, but also a way to recreate moments lost to the passage of time. On occasion, I find myself making dinners that my mother would make for me growing up — chole chawal, masoor daal, and aloo haldi are some of the few that I’ve mastered. The dishes may not be exact replicas, but they are a way for me to connect with my childhood as I continue my journey of finding the perfect bite.
I wanted to see if this desire of mine to create and to bring myself closer to my loved ones translates to others in the food industry. I wanted to ask other people what it meant to create the perfect bite and to hear stories about their searches for the perfect flavor profile.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Bob Rose, an employee at the Argus Farm Stop. I asked him about what his job in food service meant to him.
“I think of this as a very important job,” Rose said. “There are so many facets to it, but first and foremost, it’s about the farmers … We wanted to make it so that (they) can stay in business and provide the greatest-possible-freshest food that hasn’t been in a warehouse for two weeks.”
I found it inspiring to hear what food meant to Rose. Not just the creation and consumption of it, but also his passion for an impactful distribution of these farm-fresh ingredients. Food has the ability to bring people together, but not necessarily just through the eating or making of it. Argus Farm Stop and its employees help our community by aiding farmers and delivering fresh produce to customers. Inspired by this conversation, I picked up a carton of blackberries from Argus Farm Stop, which I used to make fresh balsamic jam. It was delicious.
I also spoke with Janice Sigler, the owner of Blank Slate Creamery. Founded in 2014 as a family-owned business, I asked her what had inspired her to open a shop like Blank Slate.
“I worked for the University (of Michigan) for twenty years and I just decided I wanted to do something different, so I took a year off and researched what I wanted to do and came back to a thought I had in my twenties about owning an ice cream shop,” Sigler said.
Blank Slate, from the beginning, was a dream come to life — a way for Sigler to explore her creativity and create an establishment now so integral to the Ann Arbor community. For her, it wasn’t about doing it for the paycheck, but rather for her own fulfillment and enjoyment. I asked her what inspired the creation of the different flavors in Blank Slate’s collection, as the shop is known for unique flavors such as balsamic strawberry and go blue!berry.
Sigler explained that, for her, it was typically about “recreating … a time you’ve had in your life.” She then walked me through the background behind blueberry pancake, one of Blank Slate’s staple flavors. “My kids loved blueberry muffins and I thought, ‘What if I could create a flavor that mimics blueberry pancakes or blueberry muffins, something I used to make for them all the time?’ … It’s a flavor that relates to something that happened in my life or a time in my life.”
When she brought up the story behind the creation of blueberry pancake, one of my favorite flavors, I couldn’t help but smile. Food and its creation represents that for me as well; it’s a way to transport myself to times in my life that hold significance.
It was truly special getting to talk to people who have been involved with food creation and service and it was inspiring to hear about how food has impacted them in so many ways, whether that be in the way food serves them or the way they use food to serve others. Food does not have just one way of bringing people together, but multiple: eating together, cooking together, spending time together. So, this brings me back to my quest to find the perfect bite. Through reflection, conversation and time spent with the people I love, I think I’ve realized that the perfect bite may never be attainable — there are so many different dishes to sample, so many flavors that we have yet to discover. Once we’ve had what we think to be our perfect bite, there is always another one waiting for us around the corner. It only exists as a concept, but may never be a reality.
How incredibly profound is that? That I may spend my entire life in search of the perfect bite and I may never find it? But perhaps that’s the point. There will never be a definite end: There is always something new to explore and new to create. Yet what matters is not the destination, as much as I dream of it, but rather the journey. By rediscovering my love for food, I have gained a multitude of different skills in the kitchen and a deeper understanding of the art and science behind the marriage of flavors.
However, and more importantly, I have also found a greater connection to myself and to the people I love, all facilitated by food and its communal aspect. Instead of finding the perfect bite of food, I’ve realized that I’ve been spending the perfect bite of time with my loved ones, forming connections over things as trivial as ice cream flavors or a good slice of pizza. Tonight, I am making pasta with my friends. It will be accompanied by conversation, love and laughter. I cannot wait to continue my search for the perfect bite, however futile that endeavor may be, because in the process, I know I will get to experience more moments like this one with my loved ones.
Statement Deputy Editor Ananya Gera can be reached at agera@umich.edu.
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