In celebration of the day of burgers, Oxford University Crossmodal Research Laboratory chef-in-residence Charles Michel explains the science of the perfect burger experience.
According to Michel, engaging into a multi-sensory perception when eating a mouthful of beefy goodness gives you the ultimate foodgasm. In addition to savouring the mixture of taste, might as well smell, feel, and hear every bit of the deliciously glorious burger experience.
It's not only the taste that makes up a complete burger appreciation. "Science has shown that deliciousness is a perception created by our brains with stimulation coming from all the senses, and not only a sensation happening in your mouth," Michel points out.
In experiencing the multi-sensory burger experience, Metro UK dished out the chef's secret.
First, you should make sure every tasty layer in your burger could fit into one enormous bite. Get those bigger buns to work on the width rather than the height. Top your 1cm beef patty with lettuce, tomatoes, melted cheese, crispy bacon, onions, ketchup, mustard, other sauces, and whatever you want, just as long everything fits. Michel advised a 7cm burger squishes down to 5cm when held in your hand, which is just the right size for your mouth.
Holding a paper-wrapped burger instead of eating off the plate gives you a more stimulating experience since it allows you to actually smell it closer, feel the warm soft bun, and hear the sound of the wrapping paper as you about to devour the amazing texture and taste of a freshly-served burger.
Hearing yourself munching on a delicious burger completes the ultimate burger experience. The sound you hear after a mouthful bite activates your sense of taste, hence the overwhelming food porn sensation.
Instead of looking for a place to buy your burger on burger day, you might want to try Chef Michel's recipe for a "perfectly balanced" burger.
