As many of us gear up to spend plenty of time in the kitchen preparing and eating the traditional Thanksgiving feast, it got me thinking about how I get pumped up to work in the kitchen. On any given day we hear lots of music coming from our kitchen. I absolutely love listening to music and particularly when I have the dreaded task of clearing a sink full of dirty dishes. Music makes any chore better, am I right?

It just got me curious what our readers love to jam to when in the kitchen. Generally, I listen to a pretty good variety of music, but when I’m gearing up to go do some dishes my favorite music has got to be some good old classic rock like Led Zeppelin or The Eagles.

Just look at that hair! :) My love of that band comes from my dad and I have so much love and respect for his old music that I used to hate growing up! I love tons of rock and roll music from bands like AC/DC, Styx, Boston, Muse and Queen. This music is fantastic for making anything from boxed mac and cheese to burgers and brats feel extra gnarly.

If I am preparing any romantic meals for my husband and I, I love to listen to my favorite writer of love songs of all time: Ed Sheeran. I might, however, go for something nostalgic and cool like Frank Sinatra and the likes.

If I’m being completely honest, and I have zero will to do a certain task, I have been known to listen to some heavy metal here and there ha! (Surprise emoji face!!!) Yes, you read that right. I know, my mother reads this and I’m admitting that some good System of a Down or if I need something heavy but not too heavy, Metallica does nicely ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I’m always a sucker for belt-it-at-the-top-of-your-lungs songs from musicals like Hamilton, The Greatest Showman and Phantom of the Opera. There is nothing better than singing along with Hugh Jackman in that foot-stomping opening number to The Greatest Showman, no matter what the task is at hand! Trust me--your rolls are going to turn out even better as you knead the dough to that beat! It’s a sure thing.

You know what is my very favorite music of all that I get the privilege of listening to every day? My husband is an amazing piano player and can play incredible music from movies like “Interstellar” to “James Bond”. He has found cool sheet music for really awesome piano versions of cool rock songs like “Hotel California” and “Stairway to Heaven”. The piano is in the family room area right next to the kitchen so he plays every night while I am getting dinner ready. It is amazing! Just picture this: just paint kind of a Donald Draper from Mad Men sort of vibe and you’ve got it. My husband comes home from work in his dapper suit and tie and sits down to play while I am glancing over, busy carefully crafting a perfect meal in the kitchen, wearing a beautiful housedress and pearls. Okay, I’m mostly kidding. Scratch almost all of that and you’ve got us. Just keep the housedress because I love to sew old vintage dresses like this.

Now, that’s more like it--I burn things a little too often so it’s more accurate that I, in my cool vintage dress, ordered some takeout and only after my husband gets home and changes into the comfiest clothes he can find: a t-shirt and some basketball shorts, does he sit down to play. No need to keep a suit and tie on a second longer than necessary for that guy! Then, he sits down to play really cool music while I plate our takeout dinner :) That’s us! There’s no better way to spend an evening in the kitchen than listening to my sweetheart play the piano and eat good Thai takeout.

Now, my mom goes for straight up beautiful, classical music, whereas my mother-in-law jams to Shania Twain and Anne Murray classics. To each their own, right?! I think it is absolutely fascinating to learn what music really gets people pumped to make and eat food with their loved ones. What is your favorite kind of music to listen to in the kitchen when you are cooking or doing dishes? And do you prefer to use an electronic device to do so--such as Alexa? Or do you like to go old school and listen to CD’s or the radio? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.