Food Affecting Tobacco?

[tolstoyevsky]

I'm still very green, but tonight, I'm perplexed. Had an interesting meal (for me, that's heavy on raw onion, garlic and cayenne) and my Nightcap was bland and uninteresting. A few hours later with some brandy, my cheap gurgly cherry blend became a close friend. OK, what foods do you find affect the taste of tobacco? I mainly smoke on an empty stomach. Would a cup of coffee enhance or mute flavors? Dry wine or sweet wine? I've seen suggestions that pH might affect taste, and I'm tempted to waste a dollar on alkaline water. Thanks.

 

[sardonicus87]

It goes both ways and what you smoke can affect the food if you take the smoke first, just depends how close together the two are, and what exactly the food and smoke are (some smokes may not affect some foods while other smokes affect others, and the same for some foods and vice verse).

I drink coffee most of the time with my pipe, but I haven't noticed coffee making much of a difference, though it seems to enhance and be enhanced (flavor-wise) with some burley blends.

And a recent discovery a few days ago, Dr. Pepper pairs extraordinarily well with L.J. Peretti - Blend DD.

 

[warren]

I often smoke my pipe while I'm eating. My palate isn't as discerning as some of the other members though.

 

[MisterBadger]

I hadn't noticed anything I eat affecting the taste of what I smoke, but I will second what @sardonicus87 says about coffee and Burley blends. Some teas and some beers also seem to complement a smoke for me - but having said that, I'm strictly VA/Per/KY/Bur in my smoking preferences.

 

[ziv]

I normally smoke after a meal, and for me, food definitely affects the smoke. I find that spicy food (which was what you had, it seems) kinda overwhelms taste buds, and tobacco becomes bland.
As for the drink, plain water works best for me tobacco tasting wise.

 

[AreBee]

Raw onion, garlic, acidic foods and anything spicy are the biggest offenders for my smoking palate. My wife's spaghetti sauce is a killer for me! One thing that helps me cleanse my palate are a handful of saltines.

Unlike cigars which I enjoy with nearly any beverage, (Bourbon, Scotch, Wine, Port and any style of beer), with pipes I stick to malty beers (brown ales and English style ales) and dry stouts (Guinness). For non alcoholic beverages, coffee is very nice, but I mostly drink tap and sparkling water.

 

[bullet08]

Any strong flavor will alter your taste perception. It's good idea to have bland as possible meal before the smoke. Such as American food, English food, saltine and water.. In other words, baby food and hospital food.

P.S. It's your smoke. Eat whatever you want x)

 

[dottlejockey]

Mmmmm...burley and coffee!

 

[anotherbob]

I'm still very green, but tonight, I'm perplexed. Had an interesting meal (for me, that's heavy on raw onion, garlic and cayenne) and my Nightcap was bland and uninteresting. A few hours later with some brandy, my cheap gurgly cherry blend became a close friend. OK, what foods do you find affect the taste of tobacco? I mainly smoke on an empty stomach. Would a cup of coffee enhance or mute flavors? Dry wine or sweet wine? I've seen suggestions that pH might affect taste, and I'm tempted to waste a dollar on alkaline water. Thanks.

of course this is how it works. It's why they suggest pairing with certain foods and drinks. Honestly for me I rarely notice too much of an effect either way. But like a lot of things in life this is something you can go as complex or simple as you want. I'd stick with the rough and ready approach of winging it and just remembering not too bomb ones taste buds before smoking.

 

[The Libertine]

It's like any pairing; some go with it while others mute tastes. I tend to take in an English after a meal.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I avoid anything spicy, as in capsaicin spicy. For instance, I love Asian cuisine, but I've found it to be a terrible compliment to pipe smoking. Italian cuisine is on the other side of things and a great compliment to smoking (if the recipe doesn't involve red pepper flakes...because of my capsaicin rule). Chocolate, espresso, and dairy-rich desserts are also nicely complimentary to piping. This is all applicable to spirits too. If I'm eating Thai food, I know I'm not going near whiskey. Oh, and yeah, whiskey is great with piping.

 

[hakchuma]

Coffee and a simple Crispy Crème Donut along with a pipe of a light Virginia is my favorite combo.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I like to brush my teeth after a meal, before I smoke pipes and cigars. Especially with pipes, I don't want a fouled up onion pipe.

Food changes the flavor.

I smoke cigarettes right at the table though.

 

[tolstoyevsky]

Coffee and a simple Crispy Crème Donut along with a pipe of a light Virginia is my favorite combo.

Haven't yet been a 1st thing in the morning piper, but have seen too many suggestions that I might be missing something. I've even heard of morning blends. Thank you, sir

 

[tolstoyevsky]

I avoid anything spicy, as in capsaicin spicy. For instance, I love Asian cuisine, but I've found it to be a terrible compliment to pipe smoking. Italian cuisine is on the other side of things and a great compliment to smoking (if the recipe doesn't involve red pepper flakes...because of my capsaicin rule). Chocolate, espresso, and dairy-rich desserts are also nicely complimentary to piping. This is all applicable to spirits too. If I'm eating Thai food, I know I'm not going near whiskey. Oh, and yeah, whiskey is great with piping.

...as I go farther down the rabbit hole, lol. What makes the body "happy?" Ethanol can do it by inducing euphoria, but those pathways can be inhibited. Capsaicin can do it, but by the same pathways? So, by what mechanism(s) is pleasure induced by a good smoke?

 

[OzPiper]

Some things are just incompatible - onions, garlic (especially in their raw state), chilli, sardines
Others are complementary or even, synergistic eg lapsang souchong and Latakia/Balkan blends, cognac/armagnac/rum and cigars

While I love coffee, I much prefer tea when smoking.
Be guided by your palate.

 

[OzPiper]

If I'm eating Thai food, I know I'm not going near whiskey.

The Thais LOVE whisky
To generalise - I have noticed a national/racial preference (??historical) for certain spirits

Growing up in Malaysia, cognac was the drink of choice until in recent years when single malts seem to have become the flavour of the day amongst my Malaysian friends.
The Chinese have a preference for grape and rice spirits. Until a couple of decades ago, Hong Kong was the biggest market (per capita) for cognac.
Japanese (apart from sake) and Indians have a preference for whisky

I personally feel that beer goes best with spicy food/curry

 

[tolstoyevsky]

The Thais LOVE whisky
To generalise - I have noticed a national/racial preference (??historical) for certain spirits

Growing up in Malaysia, cognac was the drink of choice until in recent years when single malts seem to have become the flavour of the day amongst my Malaysian friends.
The Chinese have a preference for grape and rice spirits. Until a couple of decades ago, Hong Kong was the biggest market (per capita) for cognac.
Japanese (apart from sake) and Indians have a preference for whisky

I personally feel that beer goes best with spicy food/curry

Wow, that invites a few different points. 1) I seem to have my best results with brandy (I spend too much on tobacco to be able to afford cognac, lol.) Sake seems an interesting experiment. 2) I thought of Islay malts. Sweet but can be very smoky. Maybe? 3) If tobacco became a thing via the Americas, it might be worth noting "In Aztec culture, cacao beans were considered more valuable than gold," and that they mixed it with peppers. Would chocolate enhance the tobacco experience?

Marlboro / Kool smokers never have these discussions...

 

[Chasing Embers]

I often smoke my pipe while I'm eating.

Is there any other way?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Nightcap was bland and uninteresting.

Might be suffering from a common rapid aversion to Latakia. One day you like it and overnight it's no longer appealing.