Music To Cook By

As anyone who knows me will attest I'm not really a big fan of classical music. There are exceptions; the second half of the Last Night of the Proms, Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King, and I did once enjoy a whole evening of classical music. But these are exceptions.

My taste in more modern music, on the other hand, is quite eclectic and ranges through such varied bands/groups/artists as Green Day, Avril Lavigne Runrig, Billy Joel, Delta Goodrem, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Cast, Dire Straits, The Hollies, 10CC, ...

So what do I listen to when I cook? Well before our trip to Skye I would have definitely picked something from the pop list. Something I could play loud (or at least as loud as I could get away with) and sing along to. Since we got back from Skye though only a single CD has been played in the kitchen. It has been played loud and over and over again. And the CD in question? The Magic of the Mandoline.

I would never force myself into someone elses kitchen but I will always offer to help. Cooking is an art, and great food only leaves the kitchen if the chef is happy and enjoying his work (I was going to say relaxed but I doubt most chefs would say cooking for others is relaxing). So when I am helping in someone elses kitchen I try to fit in rather than force my ideas, hence I ended up listening to mandoline music. To say I was blown away by it was an understatement. I honestly don't think I've ever heard classical music quite like it (it's definitely classical, the composer of the majority of the music on the CD is Vivaldi).

So if you like cooking and listening to music then I'd suggest you find a copy of The Magic of the Mandoline and see if it helps the creative juices flow!