eaters and tasters

everyone claims that they love to eat. i've heard almost every person i know get overly excited at some point in time about food. but do they really "love to eat"?

i've come to the conclusion that most people do not necessarily love to eat. they do however, love to taste.

what's the difference between "likes to eat" and "likes to taste"? it seems there's a fine line between the two, yet i have noticed quite a number of differences myself.

the people who like to taste can't remember the last time they ate till they were obscenely full. they love great flavors, but don't love the ritual of gobbling down food until no further eating can possibly be done. they taste the flavors and when they approach full, they stop. perhaps they stop when they're 75% full because they know that in 10-15 mins they'll feel full. i can't tell you exactly how this happens as i don't consider myself a taster, i love to eat.

which brings us to those who love to eat. these folks can be eating a plate full of many different beautiful flavors, or one heaping mound of the same pseudo bland dish. given no consequences these people will eat until exhaustion in either scenario. they like flavors and delicious delicacies just as much as those who love to taste, but above and beyond that they love to eat. they'll eat till they're 100% full, only to later realize that they are actually 120% full (usually happens 10mins later) and have to unbutton the top button of their now tight pants.

you can distinguish the two types rather easily. those who love to eat normally eat very fast, as they aren't savoring the flavor of each bite because their pleasure comes from getting food in their belly. furthermore people who love to eat will often times get frustrated at those fancy places where the entrees look very pretty, yet are hardly big enough to properly nourish a 6 year old. in fact, i'm almost positive that it was a person who loved to eat that came up with the concept of buffets and all-you-can-eat menus.

do you love to eat? or do you love to taste?