How to put the FIRE out in your mouth

[Dib's]

Let's hear it. How do you put out the fire in your mouth once you have crossed into that "oh no, that was a really bad idea" zone?

My go-to is sour cream. A big, fat, cooling spoonful usually does the trick for me, followed by a second in dire emergencies.

What's yours?

[duonyte]

Milk or buttermilk - although I like the sour cream suggestion. All that dairy works really well.

I also drink beer. Yes, I know it really just moves that spicy stuff around, but I don't care - with the right kind of hot stuff beer is just perfect.

[Dib's]

duonyte wrote:
Milk or buttermilk - although I like the sour cream suggestion. All that dairy works really well.

I also drink beer. Yes, I know it really just moves that spicy stuff around, but I don't care - with the right kind of hot stuff beer is just perfect.

Yes, I drink beer-always with hot wings........and blue cheese dip-more dairy

[Chocolatl]

I just add cheese.

Although I also use beer.

[Super Izzie]

I agree, milk is perfect. Letting an ice cube roll around in your mouth works too.

[boy named Sous]

Spicy foods are usually spicy due to the oils in the chilies. Picture your mouth full of an oily spicy film. Cold foods, like milk, ice cubes, sour cream etc, just cools it temporarily but can't cleanse it from your palate, (kind of like trying to wash a greasy plate with cold water) It takes a hot food, like hot tea to actually wash the oil off of your palate. It burns like crazy at first, but after you swallow there is less oil in your mouth and therefore less spicy hot burn.
That's how Asian's can eat such spicy foods and keep eating long after most of us are under the table turning red and bellowing for milk like a starving calf!

[Super Izzie]

I'm Asian and while it's true that it's the oil in chili sauces that makes your mouth feel like it's on fire, there are certain types of chili peppers like jalapenos or chili peppers (also called Thai peppers or Bird's Eye chili) that are served raw as part of a dish or in some cases, these peppers are the actual dishes so they will really make your eyes water. Then again, that's part of the fun of eating! I've never tried using hot tea to counter the sting, but maybe one day when I'm brave enough to withstand a double burning sensation, I'll try it to see.

[boy named Sous]

My husband can eat Thai chili's like they are candy! I can't even bite one! But I can eat jalapenos and he can't, go figure!

[JoyfulCook]

I used to eat raw chillis at school, but dont think that I could do it now!.

The more hot food you eat the more you get used to it as well.

[Papa Deuce]

Uhm.... water and water based drinks repel the chiles oils deeper into your tongue... not a good thing.

I should know.... I owned a hot sauce business for several years.