There’s this little saying that goes “it’s the little things,” which I think perfectly sums up the great satisfaction and happiness we seem to get from the silliest yet most meaningful moments in life. Believe me when I say that good eats are no exception to how far this tiny saying stretches.
There comes a time in all of our culinary lives in which we experience the absolute euphoria of the most picturesque food experiences one can find, like those you find on Instagram. I feel it is appropriate to map out the most euphoric moments of a true foodie’s journey through consumption and say thank you for the happiness that these little moments have given us.
1. When the yolk breaks just right
GIF courtesy of huffingtonpost.com
There’s just something about yolk porn that gets the people goin’. After one look at that .gif, you probably understand why. What’s the appeal in messy yolk all over the plate? There is none.
But when the yolk breaks just right and falls over toast, noodles, or a skillet in the most perfect way, there really aren’t words to describe the satisfaction one feels. It’s truly a work of art.
2. Pouring milk or cream into your iced coffee
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
There’s just something so satisfying about seeing a plain iced coffee become one of those perfect pictures you see in those Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts ads. You can’t help but to watch as the cream (or milk, whichever you prefer) hugs every last bit of caffeine goodness in your cup.
This is a special moment between you and your morning savior. It is a time in which you both bring out the best in each other — a true thing of beauty.
3. When the chocolate lava flows ever-so-perfectly
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Chocolate lava cake is a dessert craved by many, mainly because of the flawless way that the cake’s hot center flows out like a river of pure joy. It’s hard not to feel satisfied while watching this center of sweet, sweet lava empty onto your plate. You just sit there and have to take it all in — it’s much too beautiful to look away, even for a second.
4. The wonder of melted cheese
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Cheese itself is a gift from the heavens. But the only thing better than cheese is melted cheese. Time and time again, I find myself making grilled cheese just to experience the moment that I can separate the two slices to reveal a stream of liquid gold.
And don’t get me started on removing a slice of pizza from the pie or picking the perfect cheese fry from the pile.
Anyways, there seems to be a recurring trend here: the streams of melted cheese that fill our hearts with satisfaction and anticipation. These moments may only last a mere 4 seconds, but their impressions last a lifetime.
5. Picking the perfect nacho off of someone else’s plate
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
So you go out to dinner with friends and decide you don’t want an appetizer because you’ll get too full before the entree. Fair enough, but your friend orders nachos and you’re already starting to devise a plan to steal a few.
When you steal the perfect nacho off of your friend’s plate, you not only get the benefit of eating a freakin’ nacho, but you realize that you also know how to pick ’em — a moment of pure satisfaction only nacho pickin’ can explain.
6. When your hotdog condiments make perfect squiggles
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Every hot dog-lover out there has experienced the magic of perfectly applying condiments in a squiggle pattern on their frank. With the last whip of the bottle, a sense of accomplishment and happiness overwhelms you as you look at your perfect, condiment adorned creation.
It’s almost too good to eat, but after a second of taking it all in, that hot dog is no match for your empty stomach.
7. When your whipped cream is #flawless
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Chances are, before you’ve poured a copious amount of whipped cream into your mouth straight from the can, you used intense focus to top your ice cream, hot chocolate, or fruit salad with the most perfect white, fluffy mountain of cream.
This is really something to marvel at and be proud of if done correctly, not to mention it’s one of America’s most favorite deliciously sweet toppings.
8. When you create the Mona Lisa of ice cream cones
Photo courtesy of @infatuation on Instagram
Words don’t really do justice for the way I feel about the image above. It has already given me so much satisfaction and happiness that if I were served this cone, I probably wouldn’t eat it — how could I?
Look at that. It’s heaven on a cone, and whoever served this masterpiece is a real artist of soft-serve. The closest college students get to this kind of perfection is the dining hall soft-serve machine. It will probably take a lot of practice and ice cream to come close to such beauty, but when it happens, you’ll want to Instagram that baby.
9. When you cut yourself the perfect slice of pie
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
One of the worst things when picking out a slice of pie is the constant fear that once you cut it open, all of the sweet goodness inside will fall out and you’ll be left with nothing but crust.
It’s one of the worst things about apple pie, which is what makes cutting the most perfect piece of pie that much better. It evokes a true feeling of pride and satisfaction to know that your fork will be the only thing to mess up this otherwise perfect piece of heaven.