0:00:02 > 0:00:03Let's find out what this week's task is.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13"Can we eat with our ears?"
0:00:35 > 0:00:37The Gastronuts joining me on this week's show are:
0:00:46 > 0:00:49The sound that would really want to make me taste something
0:00:49 > 0:00:51would be the sound of frying
0:00:51 > 0:00:54because the sound alone makes you want to taste it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Somebody might think it might be horrible
0:00:57 > 0:00:59if it sounds squishy and nasty.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03I like the sound of popcorn when it's in the microwave.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06'Coming up on today's show:
0:01:06 > 0:01:09'the Gastronuts gorge on the world's stinkiest fish dish.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:11It's kind of a squidgy texture.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16'I find out how much saliva
0:01:16 > 0:01:18'a juicy sweet can generate.'
0:01:18 > 0:01:19How undignified was that?!
0:01:19 > 0:01:24'And we do a blind tasting
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'in a restaurant where you dine in the dark.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:29It's really strange
0:01:29 > 0:01:31and it just makes your taste buds really eager
0:01:31 > 0:01:33to see what's going in your mouth.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34BURP!
0:01:34 > 0:01:37That's coming up later. First, can we eat with our ears?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39That's a weird question. What do you think?
0:01:39 > 0:01:41- Probably not.- Probably not.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Is it about the senses? Weird question, isn't it?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- What are the different senses? - Taste.- Touch.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51- Sound.- Smell.- Sight.- So there's the five senses. That's how
0:01:51 > 0:01:54we appreciate the world around us. What's the most important one
0:01:54 > 0:01:56- when it comes to eating?- Taste. - Taste.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58It's got to be taste, hasn't it?
0:01:58 > 0:02:03'Trying literally to eat with your ears would be messy and pointless,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06'unless you were eating ear muffins. But, amazingly, what you hear
0:02:06 > 0:02:10'can affect what you taste. What have you got in front of you?
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- MP3 player.- MP3 player.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Exactly, and some headphones and some bowls of food.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21We're going to find out if...when we play different sounds to you
0:02:21 > 0:02:25while you're eating these foods, whether they taste different, OK?
0:02:25 > 0:02:28First of all, take yourself a prawn.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Everyone like prawns?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Have a little taste.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37That's a nice prawn. Now, headphones on.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40OK, guys, press play.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- So that's the sound of the seaside. - SEAGULLS MEW
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Now have another prawn...
0:02:50 > 0:02:53..and think if it's changed the way that it tastes.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58'Some top restaurants are handing out headphones and knives and forks
0:02:58 > 0:03:01'because they've discovered sounds can make
0:03:01 > 0:03:05'food taste more intense. It's handy if you can't be bothered talking
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'to the person you're eating with.'
0:03:10 > 0:03:12OK, press pause.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14He's lost in music. Look at him.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17He's still going. Seb, take the headphones off now!
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Oh, you're there! You all right?
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- Did it change the way that it tasted?- Yeah.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- In what way?- Yeah, it was fishier. - Fishier?
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- I also think it tasted fishier. - I think it tasted fishy as well.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32It was amazing. So basically we've put ourselves
0:03:32 > 0:03:37in a different world by invoking the seaside and then eating something.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40It's actually manipulated the way that we respond to food.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43OK, next one is some chicken.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Take a little taste of chicken first.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Hmm. Chickeny, isn't it?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Headphones on.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Ready? Press play.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57CHICKENS CLUCKING
0:03:57 > 0:03:59HE CHUCKLES
0:03:59 > 0:04:02OK, take another piece of chicken.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09COCKEREL CROWS
0:04:09 > 0:04:11OK, headphones off.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Did it change the way
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- the chicken tasted?- I think it tasted saltier.- Saltier?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- I don't think so. - It was exactly the same?- Yeah.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It's quite a strange thing. On one side,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25you've got a bit of dead chicken and then,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28in your ears, you've got some live chicken.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Really interesting that you said it tasted saltier because salt
0:04:31 > 0:04:35is one of the four main flavours. So if it tasted a little bit saltier,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38it means that the flavours and tastes are more intense.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39Now, take a piece of beef.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Taste beefy? Headphones on.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Press play.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52COWS MOO
0:04:52 > 0:04:54OK, take another piece of beef.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Close your eyes.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06OK, brilliant, well done, guys. Headphones off.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09I'm still mooing.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13- So what did you think? - It tasted a bit more strong.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18- The beefiness was stronger or parts of the taste?- The beefiness.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- Henry? - I think it tasted stronger as well.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- It tasted stronger. Yeah. Sonya? - Yeah, stronger.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And maybe it's partly because you're concentrated on what's going on
0:05:27 > 0:05:29in your mouth a bit more. OK, now,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31last one. Grab that last bowl there.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36OK, headphones on.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41OK, have a little taste.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- What does that taste like?- Baked beans.- Baked beanie, kind of beanie?
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Have another little taste. A big spoonful.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55And press play.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59PPPRRRPPHHHT! PRRRPPPLLLRRT! PRRPT!
0:05:59 > 0:06:05PRRPPPTT! PRPPT! PRRPPPT! PRRRLLLPPT! PPRRRP! PPPRRRPT!
0:06:05 > 0:06:07PARPING CONTINUES
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- CHUCKLES - OK, stop.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Whoever recorded that was really ill! Now,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16did any of you feel more farty?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- No.- No? You didn't get any of that?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21That was just a bit of fun.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24So, farting aside, do you think that sound
0:06:24 > 0:06:26changes the way that we taste food?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29It depends on what the sound is and what you're tasting.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34When I had the beef, it had a stronger taste.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37And when I had the prawns,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41the seaside changed the way that the prawns tasted.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Did you really not want to fart a little bit more
0:06:44 > 0:06:48- after you heard the farting noises? - No.- You are powerful guys.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50CHOMP! CHOMP!
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Our sense of touch is another really important way
0:06:53 > 0:06:56that our brains analyse what we're eating. When we put some foods
0:06:56 > 0:06:58in our mouths, our mouths begin to water,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and this happens really well with sweet foods.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Our mouths produce saliva
0:07:02 > 0:07:05as the first step in digesting and breaking down our foods.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08If I put a sweet in my mouth, it's going to be incredibly hard
0:07:08 > 0:07:10to stop myself from swallowing.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14'Sugar is broken down very easily in the body
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'and saliva starts doing the job in our mouths.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19'Because I'm not swallowing the sweet,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'my mouth is going into overdrive
0:07:21 > 0:07:24'and creating an enormous amount of drool.'
0:07:27 > 0:07:28Oh, dear.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30How undignified was that?!
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Some foods have the opposite effect -
0:07:32 > 0:07:35they can create a dryness in your mouth. Tea and unripe bananas
0:07:35 > 0:07:39have a special chemical in them that can do this to you.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40Let's have a little try.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45SNIGGERS
0:07:47 > 0:07:49This is a nice green banana.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Mmm...
0:07:56 > 0:07:59you get this kind of dry, claggy, furry feeling
0:07:59 > 0:08:01on your tongue from things like this.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05To get the ultimate dry mouth, I'm going to take a challenge - to eat
0:08:05 > 0:08:09five cream crackers in under a minute without drinking any water.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13'In some ways, cream crackers taste how they feel
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'rather than having a flavour, and that's because
0:08:16 > 0:08:20'instead of being juicy, they suck up the moisture in our mouths.'
0:08:20 > 0:08:21INDISTINCT MUMBLING
0:08:27 > 0:08:29What's amazing about that
0:08:29 > 0:08:31is I couldn't swallow any of it.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34I got them in my mouth but I couldn't actually eat them.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37OK, maybe I need a sweet to give me some saliva.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Can I have some sweets, please?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41'So our sense of touch does actually play
0:08:41 > 0:08:43'an important role in how we taste food.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45'But what about other senses?'
0:08:45 > 0:08:50We're going to test what happens when we remove our sense of smell
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and try tasting foods and see if you can guess the right ones.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'Everyone needs to wear specially customised gastro-goggles.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01'These stop us from seeing and smelling what we're about to eat.'
0:09:01 > 0:09:03I'm going to give you a different piece of food
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and I want you to guess what it is, OK? Let's try.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09'I've prepared three hidden foods for the Gastronuts to try.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The idea is, without smelling the foods,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14'the Gastronuts will struggle to tell what they are.'
0:09:14 > 0:09:18'Let's start with an easy one - strawberry-flavoured sweets.'
0:09:18 > 0:09:21What sort of experience have you got in your mouth now?
0:09:21 > 0:09:22Definitely a sweet.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26I've got a thweet there. It's a sweet.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28But the question is a bit more complicated.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32What flavour sweet is it? Seb, what do you think?
0:09:32 > 0:09:36- Strawberry? - You reckon it's strawberry. Henry?
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Strawberry.- You reckon it's strawberry as well.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40OK. Sonya?
0:09:40 > 0:09:41- Strawberry.- Strawberry, too.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44'Not bad, but the sweet was easy.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46'Will the Gastronuts be able to identify the cucumber
0:09:46 > 0:09:49'without being able to smell it?'
0:09:49 > 0:09:53It feels like a piece of vegetable, like celery or something.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58- Very, very good.- Maybe some kind of melon.- Melon, yeah.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01'If we take away their texture by mushing them up,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03'will the Gastronuts be able to tell
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'they're scoffing on Brussels sprouts?'
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- Henry, what do you reckon that is? - Mushed-up broccoli.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09That's a pretty good answer.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- I have no idea.- You have no idea? Take a guess.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14- Avocado?- Masks off.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20So, the first food that you had, what did you all guess it was?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- Strawberry sweet.- Strawberry sweet, and you got it spot-on.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28I wonder if that's because there's not much natural flavour in that?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- OK, the second one you thought, Sonya?- Was celery.- Celery.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- And Henry, you thought it was? - Melon.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Melon, which was a great answer as well.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Both those are really good answers
0:10:39 > 0:10:43because it has the texture of celery or melon. So, the last one,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45what do you reckon that is?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- It looks like Brussels sprouts. - It's Brussels sprouts, exactly.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51That surprised me cos it tasted very much like broccoli
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and had little bits in it like the ends of broccoli.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58OK, that was a really good start. Put the masks back on.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'To test just how important smell is to flavour,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05'I've got my hands on one of the most disgusting foods on earth.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13'On this plate is a Scandinavian delicacy called surstromming.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18'It translates as "rotten herring that honks
0:11:18 > 0:11:22"worse than a skunk with a fungal infection between its stinky toes".
0:11:22 > 0:11:26'And it tastes just like it smells.
0:11:28 > 0:11:34'But without being able to smell the stench, will the Gastronuts
0:11:34 > 0:11:35'be able to stomach it?
0:11:39 > 0:11:43'There's no way I'm taking another mouthful of that.'
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Ready? One, two, three.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'A minute to go, I was gagging on this putrid-smelling fish.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53'But with their sense of smell removed, will the Gastronuts
0:11:53 > 0:11:56'be able to tell they're chewing on something that stinks like a sewer?'
0:11:56 > 0:12:01It's kind of a soft, kind of squidgy texture.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06- Soft and squidgy.- I think it's some sort of fish.- A sort of fish.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07- Slimy.- Bit slimy.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Masks off, everyone.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Well, this is what it is.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Have a little sniff of that. Whoa!
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Cor, it's quite strong, isn't it? Well done, guys.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23I have to say, you are serious Gastronuts
0:12:23 > 0:12:26cos this is renowned as being the most disgusting food on the planet.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29So, basically, when you take away
0:12:29 > 0:12:32your sense of smell, it transforms the way that you taste food.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34- BURP! - I can't believe these guys.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37They have the best stomachs I've ever come across,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40because most people have this incredible urge to be sick.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43When I tried it with the mask off,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45all I thought was, "I want to be sick!"
0:12:45 > 0:12:49They powered through because we'd taken away one of the senses,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51we'd taken away the sense of smell
0:12:51 > 0:12:53and left them with what's going on in their mouth.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05How can you make popcorn that tastes like spaghetti Bolognese?
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Let me show you. We'll take a little bit
0:13:09 > 0:13:13of every chef's favourite toy, liquid nitrogen...
0:13:14 > 0:13:16and pour it into this bowl.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22And then we'll spray into it a mixture of tomato water.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24That's simply tomatoes passed through
0:13:24 > 0:13:27a processor and then filtered through muslin,
0:13:27 > 0:13:32so you get this very fine liquid, and then mixed with olive oil.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So let's squirt it into our nitrogen.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42And you will see that immediately
0:13:42 > 0:13:44we get tiny little popcorn-like nuggets.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Let's just try one.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Cold popcorn.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56But why does this happen?
0:13:56 > 0:14:02Well, when we spray our mixture of olive oil and tomato into the really
0:14:02 > 0:14:06cold liquid nitrogen - it's at minus 196 degrees Celsius -
0:14:06 > 0:14:09what happens is that it freezes instantly
0:14:09 > 0:14:12and at the same time the liquid nitrogen boils,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16and so what you get are tiny little frozen bubbles
0:14:16 > 0:14:18of what looks like popcorn.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20And when you pop them in your mouth...
0:14:20 > 0:14:22mmm, hey presto,
0:14:22 > 0:14:27they're just fantastic, like la mamma used to make.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34'We're trying to find out if we can eat with our ears.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38'So far, the Gastronuts have listened to their lunch.'
0:14:38 > 0:14:40- I think the taste is stronger.- Yeah.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44'Coming up: I put my mouth on the line by eating
0:14:44 > 0:14:47'the hottest chillies on the planet.'
0:14:47 > 0:14:51OK, that's not a chilli heat. That's a fire going off in your head.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52Oh...
0:14:52 > 0:14:57'And the Gastronuts step into the dark for a freaky blind tasting.'
0:14:57 > 0:15:00It's a good experience cos you don't know what you're eating.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04'I'm going to try a little experiment with the Gastronuts
0:15:04 > 0:15:06'to see if we don't just taste
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'with our senses but also with our brains.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13'In secret, I've poured cola into some glasses and some plastic cups.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16'It's all from the same bottle, but will the Gastronuts' brains
0:15:16 > 0:15:20'tell them it tastes different depending on what it's drunk from?'
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Grab a glass.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25So what does it feel like?
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- Cold. - The glass is sort of cold and...
0:15:29 > 0:15:33- Hard.- Cold and hard. OK, now have little taste of the drink inside it.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38What does it taste like?
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Fizzy.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Fizzy. It's a cola. Now have a little taste of the other one.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48- How does that feel?- Soft.- Soft.
0:15:48 > 0:15:54Have a little taste of the drink. In what way are those two different?
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- This one's fizzier than that one. - It's fizzier?- Yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00They look the same but they just taste different.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03The other one wasn't as fizzy as this one
0:16:03 > 0:16:04and maybe this one is a bit sweeter.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I don't know if you guessed, but they are exactly the same cola
0:16:07 > 0:16:10but they're in different kind of glasses. But it's the way
0:16:10 > 0:16:13that you feel the drink before it gets into your mouth.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Amazingly, the Gastronuts have fooled themselves into thinking
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'there were two different colas even though it was from the same bottle.
0:16:20 > 0:16:26'Can I weird their brains more with this next strange taste sensation?'
0:16:26 > 0:16:30- Who likes marshmallows?- Me. - They're great, aren't they?
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Grab yourself a marshmallow.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Before you eat it, have a little squeeze.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41- What does it feel like?- A sponge. - Yes.- What do marshmallows taste of?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- Sweet sponge.- Sweet sponge.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Have a little taste.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47Do you like that?
0:16:47 > 0:16:51OK, so now I've got some more. Grab one of these little fellows.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56Have a little squish. What's that marshmallow like?
0:16:56 > 0:16:57- Squishier.- Certainly squishy.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01- But still, when you pick that up, you'd expect...- Sweet.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Have a little try, see what you think.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20That tastes like spaghetti Bolognese.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- Spaghetti Bolognese.- Spicy.- Yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24- Is that what you were expecting? - No.- No?
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Well, that's basically streaky bacon flavoured.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Really don't like it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Why's that?- Because it's peppery in your mouth and you were expecting
0:17:33 > 0:17:35something really sweet and nice.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- But do you like bacon flavour crisps?- Yes.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42All those things are really good, but when we confuse our brains
0:17:42 > 0:17:44by making something look like one thing
0:17:44 > 0:17:48and our taste says it's something else, we think it's disgusting.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51And yet you love marshmallows and you love bacon flavour crisps.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Why is the combination disgusting?
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Because you never really expect it to be like that.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00And the touch, what it feels like,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03has made you expect something different. It's crazy, isn't it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05That's what happens when you mess with your brain,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07when you change your expectations about food.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09'It looks like the Gastronuts can't get over
0:18:09 > 0:18:11'having their taste buds scrambled.'
0:18:11 > 0:18:15That was a good marshmallow. The one we just tried,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17the streaky bacon one, was yucky.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- Still got it attached to my fingers. - Yeah.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22But I didn't really expect it to be that flavour.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26You put the whole thing in your mouth straightaway.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30It's cos I didn't expect it to be streaky bacon.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32I expected it to be sweet like the other ones.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'There's one food we don't just taste but which also changes
0:18:39 > 0:18:41'the way our mouths actually feel.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46'These are a selection of the world's fieriest chillies.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51'How much of their heat can I take before my senses say, "No"?'
0:18:51 > 0:18:53In Eastern food, the spice that you get from chillies
0:18:53 > 0:18:57is a really, really important part of flavour, so I thought
0:18:57 > 0:19:00I'd go on a little challenge to see just how much spiciness I can take.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I thought I'd start with bell peppers. Really nice.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06They've got a Scoville rating of less than 100.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Mmm, not spicy at all, really.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Next up...
0:19:16 > 0:19:19..jalapeno peppers.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21These have got a Scoville rating of 2,500.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23This is proper chillies.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25OK, let's give it a bit of a bite.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29FIRE ALARM WAILS
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Aww!
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Fine at first and then you get a burning sensation
0:19:37 > 0:19:39all over your mouth. The moment I have the first
0:19:39 > 0:19:43hit of chilli, I get instant hiccups.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45CHUCKLES
0:19:49 > 0:19:52OK, the hiccups have subsided.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55My lips are stinging and my eyes are watering,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57but now it's time for the next one.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Scotch bonnets. These fellows
0:20:00 > 0:20:05have a Scoville rating of 250,000.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06That's quarter of a million.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Remember, the Scoville Scale was invented in 1912
0:20:10 > 0:20:12to measure the heat of chillies.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Heart's beating quite fast. I'm not sure if this is such a good idea.
0:20:19 > 0:20:20Aw, that's hot.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Oh, that's hot.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31OK, well, I'm feeling quite confident now cos that wasn't...
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Oh, actually, no, it's getting worse. Wooh...
0:20:35 > 0:20:36I'm going to try the last one.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41This is the naga jolokia.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46Small, wizened, even more terrifying-looking. It's so hot
0:20:46 > 0:20:49that it comes with a pair of gloves.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53You should never touch your own skin with these chillies.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58These fellows rate at one million on the Scoville scale.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- COUGHS - That's not a chilli heat.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14That's a fire going off in your head. Wooh...!
0:21:14 > 0:21:16- My body is struggling with this one. - HICCUP!
0:21:16 > 0:21:18What I really need now is some milk,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22cos milk is the only thing that breaks down the chilli sensation.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Can I have some milk, please?
0:21:31 > 0:21:32Ahh!
0:21:34 > 0:21:36GARGLING
0:21:42 > 0:21:44'Having blown my socks off with some chillies,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48'it's now time for the strangest taste test of the lot.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51'We're all going to a restaurant called Dans Le Noir,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53'which translates as "in the dark",
0:21:53 > 0:21:56'to see what food tastes like when you can't see it.'
0:21:56 > 0:22:00- How are you?- Hi, Stefan.- These are the Gastronuts.- Welcome, Gastronuts.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Welcome to a fantastic, unique gastronomic experience.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07You are going to follow Roberto and form a line.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Who's going to be the bravest?
0:22:10 > 0:22:14'Like all the waiters here, Roberto is blind
0:22:14 > 0:22:18'so he's used to not seeing what he eats. How will the Gastronuts find
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'being left to dine in the dark?'
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Is everyone there?
0:22:24 > 0:22:29- Yes.- OK, right, here we are.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32We are just about approaching the table now.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35'The Gastronuts and I are in complete darkness
0:22:35 > 0:22:39'and only our night-vision cameras allow you to see us.'
0:22:39 > 0:22:44How do you feel? OK? Let me explain to you all.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48In front of you, you have a folded napkin with a knife and fork in. OK?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Thank you.- You're welcome.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52What's the experience?
0:22:52 > 0:22:54What happens when you take away your sense of sight?
0:22:54 > 0:22:59It's just really weird because you haven't really experienced it before.
0:22:59 > 0:23:05It's kind of unique as well, so it just feels all...different.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09This is Lyall Giddings, head chef at Dans Le Noir.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12He thinks the Gastronuts will find eating in the dark
0:23:12 > 0:23:14helps their sense of taste.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16I think they'll enjoy the flavours
0:23:16 > 0:23:19as they're not seeing the food, so they're getting to taste things
0:23:19 > 0:23:22and let their imagination run on what they're actually eating.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24'We'll soon find out
0:23:24 > 0:23:27'as for their starter, Lyall is serving raw tuna and salmon
0:23:27 > 0:23:31'wrapped in courgette with a balsamic vinegar sauce.'
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I've got your starters.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- OK, here you are.- Eugh, it's stuff that's slimy.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Eurgh...
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- it's all slimy.- When you touch it. - Yeah, it's slimy.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44- Eugh!- It's food.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Oh, my gosh.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48'With their sight removed,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52'the Gastronuts are turning to their other senses, like touch and smell,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54'to try and work out what they're eating.'
0:23:56 > 0:24:00One thing for sure here, you can't say, "It looks good."
0:24:00 > 0:24:01STEFAN LAUGHS
0:24:01 > 0:24:04So you have to taste it and smell it.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Enjoy your meal.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- You're kind of stabbing into the dark.- I'm going to use my fingers.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- I think it's cheese.- Mmm? Ooh!
0:24:14 > 0:24:16- Ooh!- Ooh! That's nice. - That is really nice.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18A cheese wrapped up in something.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Ahh. Have a little smell.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Smells like salad.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- I think it's the salad dressing, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Oh, look... It's falling apart!
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- I think it's pepper it's wrapped in, pepper skin.- A bit of pepper maybe.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36It's really strange and it just makes your taste buds
0:24:36 > 0:24:40really eager to see what you're putting in your mouth.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43So you find yourself more excited about each mouthful?
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Probably excited and probably scared.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48'For the main course, Lyall's cooked up a dish
0:24:48 > 0:24:51'which will keep the Gastronuts guessing.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55'They're being treated to ostrich fillet and turkey breast
0:24:55 > 0:24:58'topped with prunes and Gruyere sauce and accompanied by risotto.'
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- OK?- Fantastic.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Roberto, you're a star. Thank you very much.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- This food is... I think it's pasta. - So do I.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10I think you have to use knife and fork cos it's quite sloppy.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14But then you've got to feel to find out where the food is.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17It's kind of different things.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- There's meat. - Yes, it tastes like meat.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23It's a good experience cos you don't know what you're eating,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27so it might look disgusting, but when you try it in the dark
0:25:27 > 0:25:31and you don't know what it looks like, it might taste delicious.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33This experience wasn't so bad.
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Did you really think
0:25:34 > 0:25:38- we'd try and give you something horrific?- Yep.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- Why would you think that? - I don't know. It's Gastronuts.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44THEY CHUCKLE
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- Wow, that's so bright! - I don't like...- Wow! Oh, my...
0:25:48 > 0:25:49So... It's too bright?
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Who's covered in food? None of us!
0:25:55 > 0:25:56Who survived?
0:25:56 > 0:25:58'We've not only survived,
0:25:58 > 0:25:59'but we've learnt how important
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'ALL our senses are in experiencing food.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:05OK, Gastronuts, you've done absolutely brilliantly.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- Can we eat using our ears?- ALL:- Yes.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Yeah, and what else is there?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Touch.- Touch.- Smell.- Smell.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- Sight.- Sight.- Taste.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Who'd have thought that taste would be bottom of the list?
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Well, you've earned yourselves the ultimate flavour sensation.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23So headphones on, everyone.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Are you ready to go? Would you close your eyes
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and treat yourself
0:26:30 > 0:26:33to the ultimate flavour sensation.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Press play and tuck in.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39SIZZLING
0:26:41 > 0:26:44- Is it good?- ALL:- Yeah.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- Happy now?- ALL:- Yeah.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53That has been one of the most
0:26:53 > 0:26:57bizarre and amazing journeys of my entire life.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00At times, it's felt a bit like we've been under attack.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01That's exactly what it is,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04because we're messing with all of our senses.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06So we don't just eat with our ears.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07We eat with our brains.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Now, THAT'S a weird thought.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14I'll think differently about eating,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17because if you look at something, it might look disgusting,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20but if you try the food, it might taste delicious.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25My favourite bit was when we had the blindfolds on
0:27:25 > 0:27:31and we ate the food, because it was a kind of mystery
0:27:31 > 0:27:33what we were going to eat and it's made me
0:27:33 > 0:27:36curious about eating other foods.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42I think being a Gastronut has changed the way I think about food,
0:27:42 > 0:27:47because it's easy to just judge how food is by the way it looks.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49And it's like they say don't judge a book by its cover -
0:27:49 > 0:27:51don't judge food by its look.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk