TALES FROM THE FIELD
as told to Eleanor CumminsSteamy sausages
STUART FARRIMOND,
AUTHOR OF THE
SCIENCE OF COOKING
Sausages are known
for their mouth-
watering sizzle.
People think fat
causes this hiss,
but it’s the water
in the dogs that
spits as it turns
into vapor. Kiel-
basa today are
nearly 4 dB quieter
than 1950s’ links.
More meat and fill-
ers mean bangers
don’t sputter like
they used to.
Crackling coffee
PRESTON WILSON,
PROFESSOR OF
MECHANI CAL ENGINEER-
ING AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
A good brew starts
with roasted beans
that produce two
choruses. Slow rum-
bles mean the gases
inside have broken
out. Then, Rice
Krispies-like
snaps indicate heat
has hit the inner
shell. A third
wave, though, sig-
nals your pods
might be burning.Melodious melons
HELEN CZERSKI,
OCEAN PHYSICIST
AT UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE LONDON
Atoms at a water-
melon’s surface
bunch together and
spread apart when
tapped, producing
sound waves. A
great gourd will
ring evenly—it’s
free of any air
pockets—and low,
suggesting the
flesh is dense and
ripe. That’s why
you should always
tap before buying.Sonic chips
HAROLD MCGEE,
AUTHOR OF THE
CURIOUS COOK
Potatoes have tons
of tiny starch
cells. When fried,
those bits become
dry and brittle.
A single chip con-
tains multitudes
of cells packed
together. Bite into
a whole crisp, and
your chomping force
causes thousands of
tiny breaks in a
fraction of a sec-
ond, creating that
signature crunch.Explosive popcorn
EMMANUEL VIROT,
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
As a kernel cooks,
the starch ex-
pands. The growth
pushes against the
kettle, creating
pressure that pro-
pels it upward and
makes a bang. The
starch then breaks
the outer hull,
opening pockets of
water vapor in the
kernel. When the
liquid escapes, it
makes that trade-
mark pop.sound bites
COLLECTIONS
102 WINTER 2019 • POPSCI.COM