We talk a lot about tasting during cooking, how an ingredient should smell at a certain point, or what a dish should look like when done. This leaves out our sense of hearing. Believe it or not, you probably use this sense more than you think! What aural cues do you listen for while cooking?
Cooking by Feel: Use Your Ears!
As kitchen multi-taskers, we often have our backs to the stove while something is cooking away on one of the burners. Listening for changes in how the contents of our pots and pans sound can let us know when to turn around to adjust the heat, add the next ingredient, or any number of things.
We pick up a lot of these little cues without realizing it and come to rely on them almost subconsciously. Lately, I've been trying to pay attention to what aural cues I use most regularly. Here are a few:
• When a pot of water is about to and then has come to a boil
• When a pan is hot and a small piece of food or a drop of water sizzles
• When a loaf of bread is done by thumping the bottom on listening for a hollow sound
• When onions or mushrooms are almost done cooking by listening for changes in the sizzling as water cooks off
• Likewise, listening for the quality of the sizzle at different points in cooking to know if the heat needs to be turned up or down
• The changing sound of something in the food processor to know when it's pureed
• Listening for popcorn to finish popping on the stovetop
It's surprisingly hard to pick out specific things to listen for, especially since we're often using other senses to pick up clues at the same time. What other ways do you use your sense of hearing in the kitchen?
Related: Favorite Sounds in the Kitchen
(Image: Flickr member jordanfischer licensed under Creative Commons)
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the quality of the sizzle! haha, perfect. so poetically put and absolutely what i was coming in here to say.
also, the gurgled belch of pasta sauce or oatmeal that is just about to explode all over the place...so i lower the heat and stir it up :)
view kdkaboom's profile
i remeber in one of Edna Lewis's books she described listening to a cake to know when it was done. i thought this was weird, but then my mom told me she knew when cornbread was done by listening to the sizzle of the pan. i still havne't mastered snap/crackle/pop.
view carolynapplebee's profile
It makes my husband crazy that I go off and leave our whistle-less teapot heating on the burner unsupervised - I think he's afraid I'm going to let it boil dry. I can totally tell when it's close to boiling just by listening to the sound the water makes, though, and I've never ruined a teapot!
view erin in indy's profile
A couple of things, I listen to how full a container of water is, I listen for the bang my black baking sheet makes when its been in a 400 degree oven for a certain amount of time, which means the veg are roasted.
Ok so i know its not quite what you were going for, but the kitchen timer is something mainly heard, though i do find i start walking towards the kitchen just before it goes off.
view zombiesgirl's profile
I listen for how the coffee beans sound when they reach the right consistency for the French press (we have a small electric blade grinder). Most of the rest I hadn't thought about, but you covered them. My mom had taught me the tapping on the bottom of a loaf of bread.
view inariargenteus's profile
I listen for how hollow a watermelon sounds before choosing it (in addition to weight for size), and I listen for how it sounds when you cut it open (although I suppose once it's open, you'll know how good it tastes--it's just a nice preview). Both things my dad (my watermelon guru) taught me.
view chow.baby's profile
We often use butter that has a high water content. When I'm browning butter for something, I can hear when the water has evaporated out enough that the butter is starting to turn brown. There are less "little pops". :)
view Amanda0730's profile
Cool post....I have recently come to the conclusion that I will never be one who is able to "whip" something up; but what I should probably be saying is I am not one who is able to cook by "feel" or "hear". Maybe, I'll get better if I keep reading and practicing these type of tips though.... 3 meals a day/7 days a week/52 weeks a year gives me plenty of time to practice!
view PNWGal's profile