# What flavor do you expect red food to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364 "2020-06-10T15:01:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/1 "2020-06-10T15:01:39Z")
Dad-blame it. 2nd time, this time a board timeout crashed the poll. Screw it; here’s the gist: You have placed before you a piece of, let’s say, bubble gum. It’s red. What is your gut expectation as to it’s flavor? The intended poll options were: Cherry Cinnamon Raspberry Strawberry Watermelon Other (please explain) ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/2 "2020-06-10T15:06:48Z")
That red? Maraschino cherry. Reminds me of the water in the jar. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/3 "2020-06-10T15:21:42Z")
Dark enough and I’d think cherry, otherwise strawberry. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/4 "2020-06-10T15:21:57Z")
If we’re talking about a beverage or candy, my taste buds are typically primed for strawberry or cherry flavor. If we’re talking about cake icing, the answer is hate. I expect it will taste like hate. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/5 "2020-06-10T15:24:20Z")
Usually strawberry. If it is a sauce - Hot. Like Frank’s Red Hot. Or red shiny chicken wings. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/6 "2020-06-10T15:25:35Z")
Cherry. Sometimes Beets. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/7 "2020-06-10T15:27:30Z")
Pretty much always expect cherry, especially if it’s gum or candy. I really hate the taste of fake strawberry and fake watermelon, so I would certainly be HOPING for cherry. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/8 "2020-06-10T15:27:46Z")
Other. Red foods in general taste wildly differently from each other. Beets, strawberries, ripe sweet peppers, red potatoes. “Red” is not a flavor. Highly processed items intended to be edible (or semi-edible, such as gum) and dyed red I expect to taste of salt and/or sugar, and not of much else that’s identifiable. This is also true of highly processed items intended to be edible and dyed colors other than red. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/9 "2020-06-10T15:48:58Z")
Red can be deceiving in a sense of red M&M’s (M&M flavored) or Red Velvet Cake (Chocolate). In non-candy foods I expect it to be pepper flavored. “Buffalo” if you will. In candy I expect cherry but I also don’t think I can tell cherry from strawberry from raspberry. At least not in a setting where there’s one red flavor, such as Skittles. It’s red flavored compared to the green one but…? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/10 "2020-06-10T15:52:27Z")
I’d expect red (as opposed to pink) gum to be cherry. Otherwise, I’d be hoping for beef flavor. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/11 "2020-06-10T18:47:33Z")
My default red is cherry, but I think strawberry is more common. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/12 "2020-06-10T18:52:29Z")
Gum? I’m going to guess cinnamon. Mostly because there’s just not much strawberry or cherry chewing gum out there. If it’s a pastry or dessert of some kind, I’m going to probably default to cherry, unless it’s some kind of homegrown thing in the South, in which case I’ll probably guess strawberry. For savory dishes, red generally means tomato. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/13 "2020-06-10T18:57:01Z")
Cherry. Everybody knows raspberries are neon blue. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/14 "2020-06-10T18:57:42Z")
Cherry Cinnamon Raspberry Strawberry Watermelon Other (please explain) Like others say,it relates to the color of red. Fruit punch also pops into mind, or if savory some form of pepper or meat. Apple is usually green and green apple flavored instead of a sweet ripe apple. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/15 "2020-06-10T19:08:39Z")
Not being ornery, but I think of Cinnamon. Probably because of the gum flavor coming in a red pack. But I don’t remember the company! Same outfit makes Clove and Beeman’s – so more than likely Beeman’s (with or without the apostrophe!) Otherwise I guess Cherry. Third choice Watermelon! Fourth choice: Beet! I wouldn’t buy Beet gum on a bet!! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/16 "2020-06-10T20:38:14Z")
**Moderator Action** Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society, our usual home for food-related topics. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/17 "2020-06-10T21:04:11Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Gum? I’m going to guess cinnamon. Mostly because there’s just not much strawberry or cherry chewing gum out there. Yes, for chewing gum, definitely. But for bubble gum (which is mentioned in the OP), I’d expect strawberry or cherry. But, in general, like if I get a red slushie or a red candy? I think cherry is my initial expectation, followed by strawberry, followed by raspberry, followed cinnamon. Watermelon is more pink usually. But, of course, my expectation will depend on what type of food it is. If it’s chewing gum, cinnamon would be my first expectation. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/18 "2020-06-10T22:16:29Z")
For a stick of gum, probably cinnamon. For bubble gum, probably strawberry. For a beverage, probably mostly sugar-flavored, with a hint of fruitiness that can’t be pinned down any closer than that. For something not quite that sugary, more likely cherry, but maybe strawberry. For a thin sauce, probably chili pepper. For a thick sauce, probably tomato. Fortunately, I like all of those flavors. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/19 "2020-06-10T22:38:42Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > In candy I expect cherry but I also don’t think I can tell cherry from strawberry from raspberry. At least not in a setting where there’s one red flavor, such as Skittles. It’s red flavored compared to the green one but…? There was a great commercial in the 60s with kids guessing what flavor some candy was, with the hero of the ad being LifeSavers, where they’re so true to the real fruit that you can tell what fruit it’s supposed to be. Ends with a impish little girl going “Mmmmm, it tastes like… RED! (giggles)” > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Cherry. > Sometimes Beets. Mmmm, mmm! I rip through the Skittles bag 'til I can get to those beet flavored ones! ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364/20 "2020-06-11T00:39:51Z")
“mixed berry” after that, “cherry,” then “strawberry.” “raspberry” is often blue (which is good, because I don’t like raspberries or artificial raspberry flavor, so it’s nice when it can be easily avoided - I also don’t like “berry” flavor, so I do get unpleasantly surprised) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-do-you-expect-red-food-to-be/855364.md?page=2)