[General] meaning of "to taste" in recipes

[KuaiLe]

Dear all,

I used to think that "to taste" in recipes refers to a subjectively determined amount of a certain ingredient. So it's either written with this vague instruction or with a specified amount, such as this recipe here:

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/recipes/banana-maple-oatmeal/

But recently I also read some recipes that say "to taste" and a specified amount at the same time, such as "2-3 tablespoons maple syrup , to taste" in this recipe:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/porridge-lots-of-ways/#RbmqPyKQ3Jxi7bH6.97

Now I'm confused about what "to taste" means in recipes. Does it always refer to the amount of a certain ingredient? Can it have other meanings?

 

[bhaisahab]

It means "to your taste". So, "2 to 3 tablespoons" means a minimum of two and a maximum of three according to your preference.

 

[Barb_D]

It suggests that the writer of the recipe thinks that less than 2 is not enough and more than 3 is too much. If you love maple, you could still add more. If you hate maple, you could perhaps leave it out altogether.