Food and travel journalist Betsy Andrews grew up in Philadelphia, the land of cheesesteaks. When she turned 60, she began considering the pleasures of consumption. At its most basic, the definition of savoring, via the Oxford English Dictionary, is "to taste with relish."
Gastrophysicist Charles Spence describes the dopamine hit that food gives us. The brain takes note of the smell, taste, texture, color, and even the sound that our teeth make when chewing and crunching. The brain's thalamus processes the information then filters it into the cerebral cortex, which connects to the memories and thoughts we have about food. When we slow down and pace ourselves while eating, all those random thoughts organize themselves into something that offers a deeper sense of pleasure than gobbling down food. Spence equates the experience to standing in front of a work of art and having an "aha" moment.
Andrews' essay, "The Science of Savoring," appears in The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024.