I’ve seen these two mention as being the as the simplest but most effective palate cleansers. But when you eat spicy food you don’t want to drink water. You want drink milk instead. Are there certain situations you take water and crackers instead? I want to understand the science behind this!
In: Chemistry
Taste tester here. Water and *un*salted crackers are the industry standard palete cleansers because they are neutral as they can be. They are not there to cover another flavor or taste, they are there to remove the taste from your mouth. They are also just the best overall, but not best for every situation. For example, milk is used for spicy products, but since it is not neutral, it’s often followed by, you guessed it, water and crackers. Carrots are also used almost as often, the advantage being they do not dry the mouth as much, the disadvantage is they have a slight flavor. For foods with difficult textures, seltzer water is often used, but the disadvantage is the slight taste, bitterness and astringency, so it’s avoided if possible.
Edit for context: I answered from a food assessment perspective because that’s where that statement is true. There are also palate cleansers from a dining perspective to compliment the food, like ginger with sushi, where complete neutrality is not the goal.
Latest Answers