A colorful and patriotic Fourth of July special of strawberry shortcake at Church Alley Cafe and Bistro.

Long ago, in kindergarten or first grade, we learned about the five senses of hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, and smelling. Taste and smell are the senses commonly associated with eating, but dining, especially on Cajun delicacies prepared in Acadiana kitchens, is a multisensory experience.

We may smell the warm combination of spices drifting in the air of a crawfish boil and hear the sounds of the boiling pot.

Seeing the bright red color of the crawfish shells tells us that this South Louisiana delicacy is ready to be enjoyed, and we touch the tender meat with our mouth, tongue, and teeth as we peel the tail and, for the whole experience, suck the heads.

One of the most important functions of the brain is to stimulate hunger which directs us to seek and consume food. Some have theorized that this is the reason our mouths are found close to our brains. When we eat, our brains, from learned experiences, tell us how we think a food will taste, but research has shown that our perception of food may first begin with the eyes.

It was Marcus Gavius Apicius, a First Century AD Roman gourmand, who is credited with the phrase, “We eat first with our eyes.” A wealthy man, with a love of the finest food and luxurious living, Apicius is also credited with writing an early Roman cookbook.

There are many ways that food can draw us in through our eyes. Oftentimes we might find ourselves admiring the dish being served at another table or delighting in a plate filled with colorful offerings. Brightly colored vegetables give the impression that the food is fresher. As we walk into a theater, refreshments strategically positioned near the entrance are one of the first things that catch our attention, and brightly colored wrappers of candy arranged at the eye level of children in supermarkets can add much to the challenges of shopping with a child.

In a conversation with locally known artist Jerome Webber, he described how, as in painting, more people are drawn in by contrasting colors. Complementary colors, or those colors found opposite each other on a color wheel, such as red and green, or purple and gold, are set off when placed on a white plate. As Jerome explained, the gradients of dark against light colors give a painting its value, just as a red sauce over pasta served with a side of green beans would make a dish more appealing.

There are many ways of enhancing the visual appeal of a dish. It can be as simple as sprinkled parsley over steamed white rice, or a slice of lemon on a seafood dish. Leaves and herbs such as parsley, cilantro, rosemary, basil, and mint leaves are commonly used as garnishments.

Leafy greens like butter lettuce, curly kale, and spinach can be used to line a plate of cold food, as in a summertime salad. Adding blueberries, strawberries, and even sweet watermelon cubes to a salad, contrasted with a sprinkling of feta cheese and red onion slices will certainly whet one’s appetite, especially in these sweltering summer days when appetites wane.

Edible flowers can be used as garnishments if care is taken to avoid the use of pesticides in the area, or their growth near other toxic plants. Nasturtium and squash flowers, pansies, and rose and calendula petals from the garden, add a bright pop of color to the plate. An artful application of strawberry sauce on cheesecake, green tomatillo sauce on chicken enchiladas, or barbeque sauce on a steak will certainly awaken the mind and the taste buds as to what is to come.

If the heat and humidity have inflicted the summer doldrums on your days, the following recipe will brighten your mood as well as your plate.

BLUEBERRY WALDORF SALAD

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries, divided

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 Tbls. Orange marmalade

2 tsps. Lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. salt

4 cups (about 4 oz.) baby spinach

1 tart apple (like Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced

2 ribs celery, cut into 1 1/2-inch matchsticks (about 1 cup)

1/3 cup pecan or walnut halves, toasted

• To prepared dressing: In a blender container, combine ½ cup of the blueberries, oil, marmalade, lemon juice, mustard and salt: blend until a smooth, thick dressing forms.

• To make salad: In a bowl, toss spinach with apple slices, celery, pecans, and remaining ½ cup blueberries.

• Arrange equally on four serving plates. Just before serving, blend dressing again until smooth; drizzle over the salads. Serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings.