Listening to The Beatles could help to enhance the enjoyment of a fish and chip supper, psychologists have found.

心理学家发现，听着甲壳虫乐队的音乐，吃炸鱼薯条也会觉很享受。

Research suggests that certain types of music can bring out specific flavours - including sweet, salty and bitter - in a range of foods.

研究还发现，特定的音乐类型能给很多食物增添一些特别的风味，比如甜味，咸味和苦味。

The intensity¹ of Nessun Dorma, performed by Luciano Pavarotti, is said to be the perfect accompaniment to dark mouse or coffee. Meanwhile, the high-pitched piano in Billie Holiday's Autumn in New York can help emphasise² the autumnal flavour of a pumpkin³ pudding.

据说，帕瓦罗蒂演唱的《今夜无人入睡》与巧克力慕斯和咖啡最搭配。而比莉·荷莉戴《纽约的秋天》里的高音调钢琴伴奏则有助于让人感受到南瓜布丁里那种秋天的风味。

In Ultraviolent restaurant in Shanghai, fish and chips are served up to a backdrop of the Beatles, while in El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, scented⁴ meringue comes with a commentary describing Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi in action, a clip which apparently⁵ brings out the citrus flavours in the dessert.

在上海的“紫外光”感官餐厅里，炸鱼薯条被端上桌时通常放的是甲壳虫乐队的音乐；而在西班牙赫罗纳的El Celler de Can Roca餐厅里，甜点的味道总是在足球运动员梅西球赛的解说伴奏下而更加香气扑鼻。

The so-called digital seasoning⁶ also applies to wine, helping⁷ drinkers to enjoy their tipple⁸ by up to 15 per cent more, if served alongside the right music.

这种所谓的“数码调味品”也适用于酒类，如果喝酒时能配上合适的音乐，则能使饮酒者更加享受美酒的味道，而且喝的会比平时多15%。

Researchers found people enjoyed their wine more while listening to 'paired' music, rather than while being sat in silence. Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No 1 in D Major particularly compliments Chateau⁹ Margaux 2004, while Mozart's Flute¹⁰ Quartet in D Major should be played while drinking Puilly-Fume.

研究人员发现，喝酒时听合适的音乐比安静地喝酒更能让人享受其中。比如柴可夫斯基的D大调第一弦乐四重奏与04年的法国玛歌正牌葡萄酒正相配，而莫扎特的长笛四重奏更适合在喝法国卢瓦尔河谷普伊·富美白葡萄酒的时候听。

Professor Charles Spence, a behavioral psychologist from Oxford¹¹ University, told the Observer's Neil Tweedle that taste is not as dominant¹² as we might think in judging a meal and that our ears might subconsciously¹³ talk to our tastebuds.

牛津大学的行为心理学教授查尔斯·斯彭斯认为，食物的味道并不是唯一能够决定我们对食物的评价的，我们的耳朵也能在潜意识里左右着我们的味蕾。

He said: 'Music cannot create taste or flavours that are not there in your mouth, but it can draw attention to certain notes in a wine or food that are competing in your mind... It's kind of digital seasoning.'

斯彭斯教授说：“食物在吃之前，音乐并不能对其有所影响，但音乐能让人的大脑对某种味道印象深刻因而能吸引人的注意力……所以音乐就是一种数码调味品。”

Mr Spence added that humans tend to match the same sounds to the same tastes.

他还说，人们更倾向于把同一类的声音与相应的味道结合在一起。

He described sourness as 'high-pitched', meaning it should be played alongside music of the same quality. He also said sweetness is associated with richer sounds, while bitterness is linked to deeper tones.

酸味和“高音”搭配，所以吃类似味道的食物时适合伴以这样的音乐。甜味与多种音乐类型相适合，而苦味与较低沉的声音更搭。

He believes the sound associated with salty - which he has not yet pinned down - would be enhanced by a throbbing¹⁴ type of sound.

斯彭斯教授说，至于咸味他还不怎么确定，可能更合适搭配的音乐是较为动感的声音。

'Bitter, sweet, sour - we have those,' says Professor Charles Spence, 'But salty is the hardest taste to embody¹⁵ in sound.'

“苦味、甜味和酸味我们都已基本确定了，只有咸味最难确定搭配哪种声音。”

To carry out his research, Mr Spence gives people two pieces of identical chocolate and asks them to each eat one while listening to a different piece of classical music.

为了进行研究，斯彭斯教授给人们两块完全相同的巧克力，然后听着不同的古典音乐来吃这些巧克力。

While the more sombre music is played, people generally describe the chocolate as more bitter. When they described the chocolate as 'sweet', it generally when the more upbeat piece was being played, he said.

听较为伤感的音乐时，人们认为巧克力的口味更苦。而听欢快的音乐时，他们觉得口中的巧克力更甜。

Heston Blumenthal, who runs the Fat Duck in Bray¹⁶, Berkshire, is among restaurateurs who have sought the professor's advice.

在伯克郡布雷经营一家餐厅的赫斯顿·布卢门撒尔十分赞同斯彭斯教授的观点。

Mr Spence said that, as well as music, colour and even the weight of cutlery are factors which can combine to make a dining experience more enjoyable. Ambient lighting¹⁷ was found to have a positive effect on a person's enjoyment, with red light bringing out the fruitiness in red wine.

斯彭斯教授说，和音乐的作用一样，颜色甚至餐具的重量等因素结合在一起都能影响用餐体验。灯光也有类似的作用，红色灯光能使葡萄酒中的果香味更加醇厚。