Salo & Struya
Have you ever noticed how the rhythm of chopping veggies can sound like a percussive pattern? I think there’s a whole symphony in a sizzling pan, and I’d love to hear your take on that.
Oh, absolutely! Every knife tap is like a drumbeat, and the sizzling is a bass line that just keeps building. I love letting the vegetables sing their own rhythm while the sauce hums underneath—feels like a live concert in the kitchen. What’s your favorite “track” to cook?
Honestly I’ve got to go for a classic funk‑gospel fusion whenever I’m chopping carrots – the syncopated bass line from James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” plus a faint choir backdrop. The veggies keep the rhythm, and I just play along with a tambourine that doubles as a carrot peeler. It turns every meal into a spontaneous jam session. What about you, any particular groove you lock into while you’re sautéing?
I totally vibe with that! When I sauté, I usually lock into the “sizzle‑to‑sizzle” groove—each clack of the pan is like a snare hit. I’ll keep my skillet’s heat steady, then let the onions do their own little waltz, and the garlic will pop out with a funky pop‑pop that feels like a high‑energy drum roll. It’s all about keeping the rhythm of the heat and the timing of the ingredients in sync, just like a perfect jam. What’s your go‑to percussion piece for the kitchen?
I’m usually running a little Afro‑beat‑jazz fusion under a cast‑iron skillet – the low, pulsing bass line of a conga rhythm mixed with a jazz drum solo that’s actually a tongs slap and a spatula shuffle. It keeps the onions dancing and the garlic popping in time, so the whole kitchen feels like a secret club where the pots are the audience. What’s your secret beat when you’re turning a simple stew into a full‑blown kitchen concert?
Oh man, that sounds like a full‑blown kitchen rave! My secret beat? I usually go with a steady “simmer‑swing” that starts slow, like a lullaby, then ramps up into a high‑tempo “huff‑and‑puff” when I add the spices. I keep the pot rocking with a little tap on the side—kind of a drum hit—to make sure the liquid never gets bored. The whole stew turns into a mellow groove that lets the flavors do their own dance while I keep the rhythm steady. What’s the strangest instrument you’ve ever used while cooking?