Flammable Foods

[Fat Guy]

Inspired by the near-simultaneous appearance of the Eating Fire topic and the Setting Potato Chips On Fire diversion on the Stax v. Pringles topic, it occurred to me that as far as I know we have never had a flammable-foods topic.

So?

Light it up, people.

[smallworld]

Does sambuca count?

I'm sure everyone has a bearded friend-of-a-friend who failed to properly blow his flaming sambuca out and ended up with his face on fire.

[snowangel]

When I was 10, and living in Thailand, we had a fancy dinner at the French Restaurant (Le Cave????) at the wonderful and venerable old Eraway Hotel (which has since been replaced by some monstronsity). For dessert, we had Peaches Flambe. Never mind that you wonder where in the hell they got peaches in Bangkok in 1968, or whether they were even peaches. But, earlier that day, my sister and I got our very first ever pet -- a cat (Siamese, naturally); I remember nothing else about the meal. We named her Flambe. She was a wonderful cat, and lived to the ripe old age of 15. Made the move from Thailand to MN without flinching.

But, back to the topic. Suggestions, please. My propane torch is ready!

[Fat Guy]

From a scientific standpoint, would it be correct to say that all food is flammable if you get it hot enough?

Also what's the deal with flammable and inflammable meaning the same thing?

[snowangel]

From a scientific standpoint, would it be correct to say that all food is flammable if you get it hot enough?

Also what's the deal with flammable and inflammable meaning the same thing?

Some things are harder to flame than others. Trust me. Old rotten fish guts are not highly flamable. It's a long (but good) story, but I now it's true. Gasoline and alcohol on the other hand....

Edited October 29, 2003 by snowangel (log)

[tejon]

If you throw goldfish crackers just to the edge of a fire, they will eventually burst into flames in a little puff of smoke.

Edited October 29, 2003 by tejon (log)

[MHesse]

Also what's the deal with flammable and inflammable meaning the same thing?

Dr. Nick had that same question in an episode of The Simpsons about a tank of ether..

--mh

[Cusina]

So, kind of tangential... but if you put marshmallows in the microwave they puff up really big and look cool.

I've always wanted to light kirch on top of fondue as I'm serving it, but I'm too chicken. Fondue is one of those foods that I just can't seem to make while entirely sober and I've never felt that tipsy and flaming was a good combo.

bwok bwok

[Busboy]

So, kind of tangential... but if you put marshmallows in the microwave they puff up really big and look cool.

Marshmallows are one of the great flaming food of all time. The key is to roast them over an open fire, preferably after doing the dishes and preparing the campsite for bed, slowly slowly slowly so the inside melts into something resembling a 90's era dessert foam. Then, at the last minute, stick the 'mallow into the campfire until it lites up. Menace your friends (alternately, your children) until mom tells you to quit it, and then eat up. It's like a backcountry creme brulee, with the carbony crunch outside and warm foam in.

This, along with ghost stories, is why the gas camp stove will never fully replace the campfire.

[Varmint]

Do you mean intentionally flammable???

[John Braise]

In all my years of research, that powdered non-dairy creamer is about the most flammable solid I've found.

[essvee]

Back in the day, on Boy Scout camping trips, we would lug huge jars of Tang into the woods solely for the purpose of throwing handfuls of it on the fire. It would flame up in psychedelic colors, and we would taunt each other to jump through it and stuff.

I tell a lie. We drink drink a little of it too. And we invented Tang sandwiches, Tang sprinkled thickly on a piece of Sunbeam bread and topped with another piece. I seem to remember regarding them as a delicacy back then...

[FistFullaRoux]

Are we discussing Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster type dishes? Or are we discussing the overapplication of heat/not watching the pot of milk being brought to the boil syndrome?

[tsquare]

Oddly enough, these Northwesterners went out for tartare and ended up heavily flambeed:

flaming skewers and dessert

[jhlurie]

Enough with the hedging and qualifiers. Lets just start naming stuff.

S'mores

Pu-Pu Platters

creme brulee (if the final step is done at the table with a blowtorch)

Bread pudding, soaked in Rum

Mongolian Beef

[Suzanne F]

In all my years of research, that powdered non-dairy creamer is about the most flammable solid I've found.

Well god knows it doesn't dissolve in liquid. What do you do, throw up a handful, blast it with an acetylene torch, and watch it sparkle? Or is it a substitute for fertilizer? (Note to mr. Ashcroft: JOKE JOKE)

[Chad]

Some things are harder to flame than others.  Trust me.  Old rotten fish guts are not highly flamable.

Ah, but if you unthinkingly stuff them down a garbage disposal while cleaning a dozen fish or so and then turn the disposal on, they will spray a horrifying glurt of scales, blood and eyeballs all over the kitchen.

Chad

[snowangel]

Fondue is one of those foods that I just can't seem to make while entirely sober and I've never felt that tipsy and flaming was a good combo.

Tourist!

[cakewalk]

Some things are harder to flame than others.  Trust me.  Old rotten fish guts are not highly flamable.

Ah, but if you unthinkingly stuff them down a garbage disposal while cleaning a dozen fish or so and then turn the disposal on, they will spray a horrifying glurt of scales, blood and eyeballs all over the kitchen.

Chad

Glurt. What a great word. Thanks. But is it a noun or verb? Or both? Can a "glurt" of scales, blood and eyeballs also "glurt" all over the kitchen?

My old toaster was highly flamable. Didn't matter what was in it.

Edited October 29, 2003 by cakewalk (log)

[tejon]

I think glurt can be used as both a noun and a verb

[adoxograph]

I work at a science museum, so playing with fire is par for the course. Liquid oxygen, on its own, will not cause flames. However, when a lit cheeto is placed into a styrofoam coffee cup containing liquid oxygen, quite a spectacular display will result, especially when parties involved realize that styrofoam can and will melt when exposed to open flame.

Moral of the story: Cheetos make good fire starters, and you can't get scorch marks off tables with Windex.

[Suzanne F]

Anyone mention Crepes Suzette yet?

[tejon]

I work at a science museum, so playing with fire is par for the course.  Liquid oxygen, on its own, will not cause flames.  However, when a lit cheeto is placed into a styrofoam coffee cup containing liquid oxygen, quite a spectacular display will result, especially when parties involved realize that styrofoam can and will melt when exposed to open flame.

Moral of the story: Cheetos make good fire starters, and you can't get scorch marks off tables with Windex.

Someone who loves playing with fire! Can I hang out with you?

[John Braise]

I work at a science museum, so playing with fire is par for the course.  Liquid oxygen, on its own, will not cause flames.  However, when a lit cheeto is placed into a styrofoam coffee cup containing liquid oxygen, quite a spectacular display will result, especially when parties involved realize that styrofoam can and will melt when exposed to open flame.

Moral of the story: Cheetos make good fire starters, and you can't get scorch marks off tables with Windex.

I'd bet marinating said Cheeto in LOX would make for an even more brilliant display.

[Cleo]

For about 8 summers, I went to a pretty hoity-toity sleepaway camp in Pennsylvania (remember Camp Mohawk in the movie "Meatballs"?).

Every year there was this banquet at the end of the summer. The lights would go off in in the dining room, and waiters would come running through carrying trays of Flaming Baked Alaska.

Sleepaway camp...those were the days!