The sounds of food: defamiliarization and the blinding of taste

The sonic artefact and exegesis that are presented in this article prioritize the sounds of food, temporarily closing the metaphorical eyes of eating. Intentionally, the non-eating sounds of the digital and analogue interplay around obtaining and preparing food are summoned. This is an artificial process, well suited to creative-led research (Laing and Brabazon 2007). Food consumption is a multisensory experience. Eyes tumble over plates, locating shapes and colors (Plates 2017). Tongues gather information about bitterness, saltiness or sweetness. The feel of cutlery or glass between our fingers signifies class. The smell of bread, coffee – or decaying fish – signifies freshness, danger or unpleasantness (Shepherd 2013). However, the visual dominates. There is an empire of the senses (Howes 2005). Betty Fussell even argued that “food is always image and icon as well as substance” (Marranca 2003: 244). She did not state that food is always sound. Sound is attendant to vision and suppliant to it.