Anticipation of the Palate
Garlic· Rosemary· Umami
Emily Penso
Details of work
“Anticipation of the Palate” (2006)
Coloured pencil and graphite on cotton paper
1120mm x 760mm
Conceptual Description
This hyperrealistic colour pencil and graphite drawing acts as a sensory bridge between flavour experiences. The image of gently smoking, glowing coals evokes the moment just before cooking begins, when heat gathers and anticipation builds.
Guests are invited to view the artwork whilst tasting the surprising and exquisite ‘garlic fairy floss’, the hot coals reference traditions where lamb is prepared over open flame, subliminally hinting at what might come next. It is less about depiction than suggestion a visual seasoning that sits between sweetness and smoke. This work explores how sight, smell, memory and taste quietly speak to one another.
Ritual Revival & Saucy Wench
The Experience
Created in collaboration with Saucy Wench, this piece pairs freshly spun garlic fairy floss on rosemary with rich lamb pinwheels, set within a coal-inspired landscape. Light and dark, delicate and robust, come together in a study of transformation through fire.
Garlic and rosemary release aromatic compounds strongly associated with roast lamb and shared meals, often triggering memory before the first bite. The sweetness and airiness of the garlic floss soften the intensity of garlic, while the lamb provides umami richness and fat that carries smoky flavours. This layering reflects how cooking over fire deepens flavour — raw to roasted to charred — creating complexity and familiarity at once.
The contrast of dissolving floss and dense, savoury lamb invites guests to experience both texture and memory together — a considered exploration of how scent, flavour and visual cues combine to evoke comfort, nostalgia and transformation.
Installation Elements
Garlic fairy floss with rosemary & umami - Ritual Revival
Lamb pinwheel dumpling - Saucy Wench