How to eat a fried pickle

Taking a little break from the holiday postings, here's a tip I learned the hard way.

First up, what do I mean by pickles? In America (and Canada too it seems) these are cucumbers that have been pickled in dill and brine. Unlike in the UK where 'gherkins' are usually pickled in sweet vinegar. They are often quartered length ways to make 'pickle spears'. Order a sandwich in any decent deli and you will be offered a pickle spear with it.

Fried pickles are pickle spears dipped in batter and deep fried. They are served hot.

This! This is a fried pickle.

Here's what I've learned. When a bowl of freshly fried pickles is brought to your table, the temptation is to dive right in and start eating them. Particularly if they have arrived as a starter and you're ravenous.

DON'T DO THIS!! Because pickles are basically mainly water. And when you fry them their constituent water heats up quite hot. Biting into them is basically like biting into solid hot water. This can scald the roof of your mouth. Spitting them back out into your hand will then scald your hand.

Regardless how hungry you are, let the fried pickles rest a while before you tuck in. A few minutes is all it takes for them to cool slightly to a more manageable and palatable temperature.

That's all you need to know. Enjoy responsibly.