Saporific

My nephew Mark, who writes an excellent blog describing the start of his day as he takes his dog Brooklyn on their morning walk, has commented how the time difference between us gives a strange twist as he reads about the end of my day just as he is starting his. And vice-versa I suppose. I am alarmed that he and Brooklyn have to dress up like funfair bunting to avoid being mistaken for deer and subsequently shot. Take care M & B
Today's word is 'saporific', a word I have never heard before and which means 'producing, or imparting flavour or taste'. From the examples given, it seems that this doesn't just mean adding a little grated ginger to your curry sauce, but something more fundamental, suggesting that the conditions under which you eat can be saporific; that picnics on the beach taste better than the same food eaten in your dining room; that chips taste better out of paper than from a polystyrene tray;
I was made to experience this in a most personal way, many years ago, and I hope my sister Julia won't be too picky if the details of this story are not spot on - the punch line is the same!
I had been having a discussion with my sister during which I must have stated that all this wine glass snobbery was stuff and nonsense; wine would taste just as good out of a plastic tumbler. Like all the best siblings, we agreed to differ and life carried on. But that year I spent Christmas with Julia and her family and everyone had beautiful glasses at their places - except me; I got a green plastic tumbler and no, my wine didn't taste so good. Fortunately, we all saw the funny side of it and I was duly given a proper glass for the rest of the meal.

Now, even I support the use of the wine glass (as above) for my Pinot Grigio and the champagne flute for prosecco as I realise the saporific effect of the correctly shaped glass. And the soporific effect of too much of it!