A new website, Turntable Kitchen, pairs recipes like meatloaf with homemade barbecue sauce with the banjo-based strumming of Sufjan Stevens in his track “For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti.”
Honey and rosewater tapioca, meanwhile — a recipe that’s an ode to the waning days of summer and the first chill of autumn in San Francisco — is paired with the beats of SBTRKT’s track “Wildfire,” featuring the vocals of Little Dragon: “Both are bubbly, sweet, intriguingly textured and feature undistracting complexities,” writes the musical half of Turntable Kitchen, Matthew Hickey.
It’s a concept that borrows from the principles of wine and food pairings: combinations are carefully selected to complement one another, whether it be the images or ideas foods inspire, or the mood-enhancing effects of a song.
Adding another sensory experience to the act of eating has become somewhat of a trend lately, most notably in San Francisco, a foodie epicenter with a burgeoning underground music scene.
Dining event Covers, led by chef Blair Warsham, also pays homage to musical icons with multi-course menus created to be a companion piece to the meal.
Next month, for instance, spotlights French pop icon Serge Gainsbourg with dishes like cappuccino de foie gras et truffe de l’été, Cantonese potage of corn, crab and chili by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Eric Ripert’s Carolina shrimp ravioli with tarragon sauce Americaine.
Turntable also offers Pairing Boxes, kits that include select tracks on a digital mixtape, seasonal recipes and premium dried ingredients that are delivered within the US. Subscriptions are $25 a month.