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We all know that appetite is a fully sensorial experience. Sight and smell might be obvious precursors for pleasurable eating (who can resist the smell of buttery popcorn or the gorgeous display of plated sushi?), but one that may be a bit more subtle — if not insidious — is sound. What’s your aural catnip, so to speak? That is, sounds that make you hungry or excited to eat or cook. Maybe it’s the crinkly sound of a new bag of chips, or the crack of a soda or beer can tab opening. It may be something quieter, like the clink of a teaspoon stirring a cup of coffee, or the telltale creak when the oven (or fridge!) door opens and closes.
We asked around America’s Test Kitchen for what perks up their ears. Here are a sampling:
Sizzle, whether you’re cooking on tri-ply, cast-iron, or on the grill. If you don’t hear that sizzle the moment you make contact, you need to turn up the heat.
Toss up between bacon sizzling in a pan and a drip coffee maker gurgling to life. Even on a rainy Sunday morning both make me feel like getting out of bed has more pros than cons.
Popping, sizzling bacon. No other sound can assure me with greater certainty that something delicious is about to happen.
When I get awakened by an egg sizzling on a hot pan, I know that it’s Saturday morning and eggs and grits will be waiting for me when I get to the kitchen table. I can’t wait to get out of bed.
And now for the Silly Question of the Day…
What sounds make you hungry?
Leave your silly answer in the comments!
(Photo: Robert S. Donovan)
About the Author: Christine Liu
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The ding from my timer, knowing that my food is now ready
I love that sizzling sound that any food makes when it hits hot oil! The sound of a metal spatula hitting a wok for a stir fry also makes me hungry.
Someone asking, “what’s for dinner?”
Seems like as soon as I sit down at my computer my stomach starts to growel…….must be because of the little goodies I have hidden around it…
This is an easy one… freshly popped popcorn gets me every time. I could be walking in a mall and I hear that gently popping sound and then I smell that corny goodness…I have to buy it on the spot.
I read a lot of food blogs, and whenever I read a burger entry, I immediately want a hot, juicy, thick hamburger with pickles.
Bacon sizzling away definitely creates instant salivation and who can resist the sound of coffee percolating. It just makes you wan to get a cup and a nice muffin or pastry or to go with it. The sound of the mixer going is pretty high up there too. Any time I hear one going or am using one myself, it takes me back to my younger days in the kitchen with my grandma and mom, whipping up unbeatable baked goods.
Anytime someone says “cookie!”
Popping popcorn! Not to mention that buttery smell. It makes my mouth water every time!
Sizzling bacon, like any non-kosher human being.
The sound of my kitchenaid going!
The sizzling sound of fajitas coming out of the kitchen at a restaurant!
Hands down it’s the sizzle in the frying pan!
Definitely the sound of someone digging in the bottom cupboard. We only keep things like cake pans and muffin tins down there, so if you hear that sound, something good’s coming up.
The sizzle sound of nearly anything as it hits the surface of a hot cast iron skillet.
The beep from my slow cooker when it’s done cooking.
The tomato and garlic sizzles in oil!
There is something wonderful about the crackle of cold liquid hitting ice in a glass. It may not make me hungry, but thirsty, yes!
the sound of a knife scraping butter across fresh toast at breakfast. calming, yet tantalizing.
The word “Doughnuts,” that’s all it takes.
Pretty much the smell of any delightful food cooking (bacon, bread, etc) but the sound of the bacon sizzling or anything hitting a hot pan or grill will do it!
Hearing Chris Kimball’s voice tell me its the best xx ever.
The music of the ice cream truck!
SIZZLE! That’s why restaurant commercials always get me!
Someone calling me on the phone and mentioning food, which is usually when I realize I haven’t eaten for about 12 hours or so.
The sound of banging pots and pans…
The humming my mom does when she cooks!
The ding of the microwave!
The sound of the latch opening on the cookie jar always made my little dog come running when I was a kid. Now when I open the cookie jar I always think of my sweet little dog.
definitely bacon sizzling. though i would say smell and sound go hand in hand. don’t know if the sizzling would make me hungry if i couldn’t smell it too.
Reading cookbooks, especially ones by America’s Test Kitchen!
The sound of food sizzling in a pan and also the sound of my oven timer going off.
Believe it or not, the crinkling sound that a paper bag of charcoal makes will start my taste buds to watering. Usually a cold beer will keep it in check until the food is done.
The squeak of mozzarella cheese as it is being stretched and pulled. Can’t wait until it is ready to slice and douse with olive oil.
The sizzle of a piece of meat on a hot grill. There is very little that beats the sizzling sound of a juicy steak or hamburger when its put on a hot charcoal grill… I get hungry just thinking about it, much less hearing it!
The sound of someone (preferably not me, but anyone under 13 that I can manage to bribe!) cranking away at an old-fashioned ice cream maker.
three little words….”Dinner is Ready!
The sound of a steak hitting the grill!
Snap, crackle, pop, sizzle! Thanks for giving us an earful of food-y sounds. Congrats to this week’s random winner, ko, who we hope eats on a more frequent basis. Everyone, be sure to check out our newest giveaways at http://americastestkitchenfeed.com/topics/giveaway/