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I wait 15-30 minutes for all hot food to cool off, 40 minutes for baked potatoes. The exception is soup. When I eat soup at a restaurant, I literally put ice cubes from my drink in it to make it cool off.
Though I seem socially awkward at times, I have not burned my tongue a single time in over 15 years - Not even a mild one where I feel sensitive for a few minutes or hours.
Sometimes it seems that a bit of awkwardness is worth it for the peace of mind knowing that I'll finish every meal satisfied and feeling well, tongue included!
How long do you folks wait for food to cool off typically, and why?
At times? Does anyone want to share a meal with you? Last week at a restaurant I was served a meal which was far too hot to eat. It had cooled considerably in 5 minutes.
Do you have a terrible memory of burning your tongue when you were a kid? When I was about 7, I had a nasty experience with a hornet. I was afraid of all flying insects for a while. I eventually got over it.
I think 99% of us have burnt our mouths on something hot at one time or another. I did just the other night, but not bad enough to want to let my meal cool for 1/2 hour. It still is a matter of what makes you happy and there is nothing wrong with someone who goes a bit overboard with letting food cool.
I made a cup a ramen yesterday, using boiling water (heated for 3 minutes in the microwave).
It was scalding hot for over 20 minutes. At that temperature I don't believe any taste is transmitted, only pain and fight or flight response. I waited 25ish minutes for it to be edible. It was not COLD, it was still quite WARM, just not DANGEROUS and DAMAGING.
I HATE hot food. Disgusting, painful, taste over-ridden by pain...
Ahhhhh...the gift that keeps on giving, sometimes even 24-48 hours later! I'm even reminded of it even when I'm not eating anything, or even worse, drinking ice cold water!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nepenthe
...But at home I have various strategies for cooling down food. A lot of times if I cooked something in a pot, I'll fill the smaller sink with cold water and set the pot in it, sometimes stirring the food and wafting water against the outside and bottom of the pot to cool it.
I'll add ice cubes to the water as well, otherwise, I just set the pan in question on top of four small sticks, at a 12-6-3-9 o'clock pattern (never on top of a towel etc.) and place a box fan as close to the pan as possible w/o actually touching it.
The sticks help circulate the air under the pan, speeding up the process.
I sometimes add the fan to the same technique that Nepenthe utilizes depending how big the container of food is, and how fast I need it cooled.
Usually, it's not the restaurant's food that is served too hot for me to eat, it's their beverages.
So let me make sure I get this straight. You have no issue with waiting for 40 minutes for your dinner partner to let their baked potato cool off? At a restaurant?
Well, no, in that case, I'd have to spread it out to make it cool off faster.
At times? Does anyone want to share a meal with you? Last week at a restaurant I was served a meal which was far too hot to eat. It had cooled considerably in 5 minutes.
Do you have a terrible memory of burning your tongue when you were a kid? When I was about 7, I had a nasty experience with a hornet. I was afraid of all flying insects for a while. I eventually got over it.
I have burned my tongue as a kid, yes, but I tell you, 5 minutes is definitely not enough for some dishes. A few weeks ago, I had a microwavable dinner starting after a little over 20 minutes - and it was STILL hot inside.
I can almost guarantee that if I started at 5 minutes I would either have to blow on each bite for quite a long time or would have gotten burned. Not my preference. Some people here, judging from comments, seem to think that "cold" (really, room temp or slightly above) food is simply not good, and are willing to chance it. Not me.
Might I have a sensory disorder, as some have suggested? Maybe, but I doubt it - it seems like what's happening is that many of you find cooled food so unpleasant you'd rather chance it on your tongue. Ok, it's a preference, nothing more, I guess. And besides, what clinically recognizable sensory disorder has as a sole symptom an aversion to hot food? Is there any?
I never wait to eat it unless it's meat, which generally needs 5-10 minutes to rest so that the juices can evenly be distributed and won't dry out once I cut it.
I have burned my tongue as a kid, yes, but I tell you, 5 minutes is definitely not enough for some dishes. A few weeks ago, I had a microwavable dinner starting after a little over 20 minutes - and it was STILL hot inside.
Was this at home? Try putting a plate in the refrigerator until it's cool, transfer the meal to the plate and spread it out as much as possible. Cut anything large into smaller pieces. The meal will be ready to eat in no time.
I don't like certain foods to touch each other on my plate, but hey, there's nothing weird about that.
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