The cuisine of Play-Doh is quite a recent development, but despite controversial politics in the field, current activists suggest that the cuisine is less about immediate satisfaction and more about developing taste over time. As student Parker Morgan [11] described, his introduction through the grape flavor was underwhelming but influential. At first he described it as “fine… not amazing, not bad,” but through experience he learned to value restraint and texture above just surface flavor, noting that fresh Play-Doh is much more favorable than its crusted counterpart, stating that “the dryness just really negatively affects the taste.” Parker also mentioned a particular appreciation for aged batches, particularly favoring flavors from the “’85 to ’87 range,” remarking them as generally “tast[ing] better and more deep, and more cultured.”

On the contrary, student Vincent Pecce [11] spoke at length about the flavor aspect, recalling how his first taste of purple was very interesting because “it tasted like grape but it wasn’t… there was a little bit of green apple.” Vincent also pointed out that his preferred flavor is the fan-favorite red, describing that it “remind me of flowers… it tastes like flowers.” He similarly strongly opposed crusted Play-Doh, preferring it prepared “warm… over crusty and cold,” but does mention preferring recent batches compared to aged ones, having a liking to “the more modern ones, preferably in 2015.”

Whether approached by careful constraint and cultured appreciations or expressive connection between flavor and warmth, the Play-Doh cuisine has seen immense evolution with perspectives growing in favor of exploration of preferences and personal taste. Freshness, flavor, and preparation all matter in the quality of any individual tub of Play-Doh, but ultimately, it’s important to respect the process of getting into the field, and knowing how to pick your preferences to accommodate growth.