Foods That Must Be Consumed Warm...

As a spin-off of the recent pizza poll, I also got to thinking how much better I love that popular food when it's warm! I've never understood the cold pizza allure and, for me, cold pizza contradicts the inherent pleasure of the food.

French Fries would have to be #1 for me. I can't think of a food that loses its enjoyability as quickly as French Fries. The "lifespan" seems to hover around 15 minutes then the thrill is gone. But, oh, how delicious they are prior to the 15 minutes!

Jeff

I agree with French fries. Whenever I get a fish fry with French fries, I eat all the french fries first, before even tasting the fish. In fact, I do the same thing if I get a burger & fries at a fast food place.

Same with me, Howie. The fries always get eaten first.

Fries must be warm....

but where are you on the cold pizza? It is a totally different category than warm pizza. Have you not seen the ESPN show "Cold Pizza"? Cold pizza is a morning after delight to be consumed with Diet Coke while watching ESPN Sports Center

Cafe Du Monde's Beignets must be warm and fresh. I tried to bring some home once (Ran to the Cafe, bought biegnets, allowed them to cool in the taxi to the airport, sealed them in a tin and flew home, just four or five hours in all) but it just did not work. They had lost every nuance of original goodness.

[Jenise]

Same with me, Howie. The fries always get eaten first.

Ditto!

[Jenise]

Fries must be warm....

but where are you on the cold pizza? It is a totally different category than warm pizza. Have you not seen the ESPN show "Cold Pizza"? Cold pizza is a morning after delight to be consumed with Diet Coke while watching ESPN Sports Center

Another fan of cold pizza here. But not the other two parts of your scenario--more like c offee and CNN.

[Jenise]

Fries must be warm....

but where are you on the cold pizza? It is a totally different category than warm pizza. Have you not seen the ESPN show "Cold Pizza"? Cold pizza is a morning after delight to be consumed with Diet Coke while watching ESPN Sports Center

Another fan of cold pizza here. But not the other two parts of your scenario--more like c offee and CNN.

But then I like a lot of foods cold that others would refuse, and come to think of it, they're usually breakfasts. Cold spaghetti and cold cold steak come to mind.

I don't know that I'm a 'fan' of cold pizza, but I will eat it on occasion when I'm too lazy/tired/it's too late. But, like everything in this discussion, much depends on the particular toppings and the particular cheese being used.

I'd say that most any fried food needs to be consumed warm, since the outer crust gets soggy and greasy upon standing. The one exception to that that I can think of is fried chicken, which can be good cold.

Mark Lipton

I'm the same way Howie. I always head straight to the fries then proceed to the burger.

Jeff

Fries must be warm....

but where are you on the cold pizza? It is a totally different category than warm pizza. Have you not seen the ESPN show "Cold Pizza"? Cold pizza is a morning after delight to be consumed with Diet Coke while watching ESPN Sports Center

Well, my stomach is rarely up first thing in the morning. Not even for warm pizza. I do agree that Coca Cola is a natural with pizza. Always the classic fizzy potion though. Never the diet...

Jeff

But then I like a lot of foods cold that others would refuse, and come to think of it, they're usually breakfasts. Cold spaghetti and cold cold steak come to mind.

I think coffee might be my "exception to the warm norm". I've grown to love iced coffee, and even in regards to hot coffee, I always end up waiting until it cools down to "warm". I just can't handle coffee that is literally hot. Ouch!

Jeff

Soup (must be piping hot, unless of course it is a "cold" soup.)

Fries must be warm....

Absolutely! I get my jollies over servers that offer to put uneaten fries in a box to take home. Always have to tell them that "fries don't travel."

Soup (must be piping hot, unless of course it is a "cold" soup.)

That's definitely a good one. I especially love chili when it's warm to hot. If it gets cold it's not the same.

Jeff

I like cold fried fish. More, I like home fried fish the day after. My dad's breading is extremely heavy on cornmeal and that seems to stand up better to cooling than a more consistent batter (I'm thinking tempura-ish when I say that) and doesn't get mushy and/or greasy.

I dare you to eat bagna cauda cold.....

I dare you to eat bagna cauda cold.....

...or brandade

Mark Lipton

I agree with most of the above, to bagna cauda you can add fondue and shabu-shabu.

I hesitate at brandade. If it uses potatoes, probably needs to be warm. But I usually made with bread, and while we serve warm, I have a sneaking suspicion I've had leftovers as a snack cold next day. Basically like fish dip (looks like hummus!).

CHEESECAKE! It is best consumed when at room temperature so you can taste the delicate ingredients. All my family having spent years working in a restaurant that was known for it's cheesecake when eating out always ask the waitperson to remove the cheesecake from the cooler after our order is taken.

My restaurant staff also used this to "sell" cheesecake early in the meal before the entrees had arrived!

While not really "must" be warm, putting a bowl of salted-in-the-shell peanuts in the microwave for a minute or so makes them more enjoyable.

Yeah, there are a lot of foods that can be better warm, but just fine cold - I microwave cashews to have with my Fino Sherry!