# When Did Food Prepared by White People Become Synonymous With Bland? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 27, 2026, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828 "2026-03-27T22:42:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/161 "2026-04-02T00:40:26Z")
> [@Varl\_Hobe](#): > > Ok so it doesn’t ruin your sense taste No, not _permanently_. Nor does smoking or alcohol abuse- altho in those cases the damage takes longer to recover from. The sensors recover and grow back. In the case of capsaicin the dulling of taste is quite temporary, maybe even just overnight. But I wouldnt chow down on hot peppers right before a gourmet meal. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/162 "2026-04-02T00:45:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, but capsaicin can _temporally_ ruin your taste ability. Not according to your own cite: it just means you don’t experience “the spice”, i.e., the capsaicin burn, as strongly for a few days. Your cite doesn’t mention ruining your ability to taste lavender, lamb, chanterelles, or chantilly cream. Just chiles. Edit: here’s a better cite: > **[Can Too Much Spicy Food Ruin Your Taste Buds? I Asked a Chile Expert](https://www.vice.com/en/article/can-too-much-spicy-food-ruin-your-taste-buds-i-asked-a-chile-expert/)** > > As a hot sauce obsessive, I had to know. The expert cited here addresses the question directly. Because the burn of capsaicin isn’t sensed by taste buds but other nerves, taste buds aren’t really implicated, and are not even temporarily harmed. The money quote: > There is no evidence that ‘taste buds’ are ruined. ---
**Author:** ![Varl\_Hobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/91b2a8/32.png) [@Varl\_Hobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Varl_Hobe)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/163 "2026-04-02T00:48:42Z")
Comparing a natural chili pepper to the chemical damage of tobacco or alcohol is a massive reach. I believe that hot peppers can be part of a gourmet meal. Gourmet isn’t limited to European meals. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/164 "2026-04-02T00:54:24Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m assuming he means that eventually you develop such a tolerance to spicy food that you’re essentially ruined for anything less spicy. Which isn’t the case; I love medium-to-hot spicy food, but still also love a lot of non-spicy dishes My taste certainly isn’t ruined. I agree with you that AFAICT there’s no physiological reason to claim that capsaicin somehow physically destroys receptors in our mouths. Of course people who like very spicy foods can still taste and enjoy non-spicy foods as well. I will say, however, that IME many people who are really accustomed to a certain level of chili heat in certain foods find less-hot versions of those foods much less palatable. Like, if they’re used to five-alarm heat levels for their lamb vindaloo or whatever, then a version of that dish with less chili kick, even if it’s very well prepared and seasoned and is deliciously flavorful, will come across as “bland” to them. In that sense, being acclimated to the hotter version has indeed in some sense “ruined” them for the milder version. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/165 "2026-04-02T01:01:48Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I will say, however, that IME many people who are really accustomed to a certain level of chili heat in certain foods find less-hot versions of those foods much less palatable. Like, if they’re used to five-alarm heat levels for their lamb vindaloo or whatever, then a version of that dish with less chili kick, even if it’s very well prepared and seasoned and is deliciously flavorful, will come across as “bland” to them. In that sense, being acclimated to the hotter version has indeed in some sense “ruined” them for the milder version. Is that materially different from someone who’s used to dark chocolate and is “ruined” for semisweet chocolate, or someone who’s used to curry with a cup of ghee who’s “ruined” for low-fat curry, or someone who’s used to high salt dishes and thinks a dish is ruined if there’s not much salt in it? Chiles, like salt and fat and black pepper, can act as a flavor enhancer. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/166 "2026-04-02T01:12:27Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Is that materially different from […] No, I don’t think it is, and I don’t think I said it was? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/167 "2026-04-02T01:25:15Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > There is no evidence that ‘taste buds’ are ruined. I said as much. I said, and my cites said, there is a _temporally_ loss of taste. > [@Kimstu](#): > > I agree with you that AFAICT there’s no physiological reason to claim that capsaicin somehow physically destroys receptors in our mouths Nor did I claim as much. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Eating spicy foods can hurt your tongue and make you less able to perceive the spice, but your taste receptors won’t be gone forever and as my other cite said _Oral capsaicin partially masks gustatory and olfactory sensations…In spite of this difference, the partial masking of the magnitude of olfactory or gustatory sensations exerted by capsaicin is approximately equal in the two groups. There are indications that decrements in flavor identification under capsaicin are greater in chili dislikers (non-eaters). The pattern of results suggests that the masking effect of capsaicin on taste and smell arises at the stage of processing before (or on a parallel path to) the appreciation of the magnitude of the capsaicin-induced burn sensation._ So, no- taste buds are not killed or ‘ruined’ by capsaicin. Taste is _temporarily_ dulled. > [@Kimstu](#): > > I will say, however, that IME many people who are really accustomed to a certain level of chili heat in certain foods find less-hot versions of those foods much less palatable. Like, if they’re used to five-alarm heat levels for their lamb vindaloo or whatever, then a version of that dish with less chili kick, even if it’s very well prepared and seasoned and is deliciously flavorful, will come across as “bland” to them. Maybe, but I think that is mostly that a regular five alarm eater wont get the endorphin kick from milder foods. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Is that materially different from someone who’s used to dark chocolate I switched to dark chocolate for decades, but now I prefer good quality milk chocolate. Mind you some tasty dark is always a good choice. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2026, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/168 "2026-04-02T01:36:13Z")
I mean, I like hot food. I like it much hotter than most folks do (though not as much as @silenus ). If I get a dish that isn’t as hot, I won’t like it as much, because, well, I like it hotter. What’s odd about that? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/169 "2026-04-02T01:45:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > . If I get a dish that isn’t as hot, I won’t like it as much, because, well, I like it hotter. What’s odd about that? By hot you mean capsaicin heat? Nothing “wrong” or “odd” with that at all. _Maybe_ dessert wont taste as nice after that dish of hatch hot chili , but many wont even notice it. If you enjoy hot curries or spicy hot food, then go for it. Many people enjoy the “burn” and the endorphin rush. Many dont. I mean it is like pineapple on pizza or ketchup on hot dogs or real Caesar salad with anchovies (that last I like, but many dont). _De gustibus non est disputandum_ However, when _sharing_ food, some things have to be remembered. Unless you know your crowd really well, getting the party only Hawaiian or anchovy pizza might not be a good choice. Same with five alarm chili. ---
**Author:** ![Varl\_Hobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/91b2a8/32.png) [@Varl\_Hobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Varl_Hobe)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/170 "2026-04-02T03:12:34Z")
I’m just glad we got to the bottom of the “spicy food ruins taste” canard, and that was simply a misspeak. Spicy is not in opposition to quality or gourmet. Chiles can certainly be a part of a gourmet meal ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/171 "2026-04-02T07:15:43Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > and such heat as there was came from ginger and black pepper rather than chilis Also [long pepper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_pepper), [Grains of Paradise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grains_of_paradise), various other [Guinea peppers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pepper), [cubebs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_cubeba) and [galingale.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpinia_officinarum) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/172 "2026-04-02T07:19:14Z")
Ketchup wasn’t [originally](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_ketchup) made from tomatoes even in the West. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/173 "2026-04-02T10:08:46Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > No, I don’t think it is, and I don’t think I said it was? Sure–I just wanted to clarify that this is a property of food, not a property of chiles specifically. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/174 "2026-04-02T12:35:06Z")
Factually true, and completely irrelevant. “Deer” didn’t originally mean strictly cervids, and “vegetable” didn’t originally mean strictly edible \*plants, but that’s where we are in 2026. \*I guess most people would also consider mushrooms and other edible fungi as vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/175 "2026-04-02T13:05:32Z")
I think that’s more a matter of becoming accustomed to intensity than anything specific to do with one’s taste buds. I mean, I like strongly brewed coffee, and tend to find weaker coffee insipid. But it doesn’t taste _bad_. Or another example might be that in bourbon, I like full flavored, high rye bourbons. Think Old Grand Dad 114 for example. Something like a milder wheated bourbon is kind of like the coffee- not bad, just lacking something. I imagine it’s the same for people who eat a high level of chilies in their food or who typically eat high-cacao chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/176 "2026-04-02T13:08:10Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Factually true, and completely irrelevant. Not irrelevant to the importation and naming at the time. > [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > “Deer” didn’t originally mean strictly cervids, and “vegetable” didn’t originally mean strictly edible \*plants, but that’s where we are in 2026. 2026 is irrelevant to the importation. The condiment wasn’t imported 3 months ago. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/177 "2026-04-02T13:28:48Z")
> [@Varl\_Hobe](#): > > Comparing a natural chili pepper to the chemical damage of tobacco or alcohol is a massive reach. Huh? Tobacco is totally natural natural. So is alcohol. Lots of fruits ferment on their own, and I’ve read lots of accounts of, for example, a flock of drunk birds eating fermented mulberries. And plants produce both nicotine and capsaicin to protect themselves from being eaten. Nicotine kills (or disables) insect pests, and capsaicin discourages mammals from eating fruits whose seeds are better spread by birds, i believe. Is capsaicin less damaging to your health than nicotine or alcohol? Yes. But not because it’s more “natural”. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/178 "2026-04-02T13:48:48Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > 2026 is irrelevant to the importation. The condiment wasn’t imported 3 months ago. It’s irrelevant to the discussion (which is taking place here and now). But thanks for playing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/179 "2026-04-02T17:50:02Z")
The discussion at that point was touching on the origin, which was _not_ here _or_ now. _Now_ was irrelevant to the point made. But thanks for the thanks, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828/180 "2026-04-02T17:52:14Z")
I’ve forgotten what the OP was about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-food-prepared-by-white-people-become-synonymous-with-bland/1028828.md?page=10)