Sweet Treats Playlist 🍫🍭🧁
Neurogastronomy, Dolly Parton’s banana pudding recipe, and February’s surprise album recommendation
Music changes food
Since February is arguably the sweetest, as in sugary-est, month, I’ve had dessert on the mind. And in the last few days, I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of neurogastronomy — the science of how our senses shape taste. Turns out music can make a big difference.
“Research shows that what we hear can meaningfully influence how we perceive food…”
Basically, flavor is something we create in our brains, not something that comes from the food itself. We do this by interpreting chemical signals from our noses, ears, mouths, etc.
So whatever we’re hearing can actually shape how we taste our food. This is sometimes called “sonic seasoning” and I find it absolutely fascinating.
Maybe that’s why pairing food with music makes so much sense. It’s a sensory match made in heaven.
Dessert loves music. And musicians love dessert back.
Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton are both known for having a big sweet tooth, Beyoncé adores peanut butter treats, Lady Gaga is especially fond of gummies, and Slash loves chocolate.
Plus, everyone from David Crosby to Dolly Parton have gushed about their love of baking.
So before we get to this month’s Sweet Treats playlist (below), I thought it would be fun to share a baking-loving musician’s recipe — for Valentine’s Day, or any day 👩🍳❤️
It just so happens to be her all-time favorite dessert…
Dolly’s Banana Puddin’ Cake
Prep time: 5 to 7 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Serves: 10-12
Cake Ingredients:
2 boxes (12 oz.) vanilla wafers 🥮
6 large bananas, sliced 🍌
1 ½ cups sugar 🍬
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 🌾
6 egg yolks 🟠
3 whole eggs 🥚
½ cup butter 🧈
Dash salt 🧂
6 cups milk 🥛
2 teaspoons vanilla🍦
Steps:
In a large baking pan, layer sliced bananas and vanilla wafers
Mix together sugar, flour, egg yolks and whole eggs, butter and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan
Add the milk, a little at a time
Cook slowly until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes
Let mixture cool for a few minutes, then add vanilla
Pour over bananas and vanilla wafers
Meringue Topping ingredients:
6 egg whites 🥚
1 teaspoon lemon juice 🍋
1 teaspoon sugar 🍬
1 teaspoon vanilla 🍦
Steps:
Beat the egg whites with lemon juice, sugar and vanilla until stiff
Spoon this mixture over the top of the pudding
Brown at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden on top
Back to the music
Sweet Treats Playlist 🍫🍭🧁
I made you a playlist of my favorite songs about all things sweet. Featuring songs about ring pops, cheesecake, maple fudge, churros, and more…
From the kitschy (Warrant’s “Cherry Pie”) to the unexpected (Kim Gordon’s “The Candy House”) to the nostalgic (The Archies’ “Sugar Sugar”), this playlist covers all the bases.
Recommended listening: play while baking or nibbling on something sugary and delectable 😋