What Are Palate Cleansers?

You don't have to be a wine connoisseur or a bartender to know about palate cleansers. These are small snacks that help cleanse your palate between sips of wine, beer, or cocktails. They prevent you from getting sick of the taste of your drink and make it easier for you to enjoy what you're drinking. Plus, they can add a little extra bit of flare to your dinner party if served alongside drinks!

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What Does It Mean To Cleanse Your Palate?

A palate cleanser is a small bite of food or drink meant to cleanse the palate between different flavors. You might have a bite of chocolate or a cracker between wines or dishes at a wine tasting, for instance, to help your taste buds make careful distinctions between each beverage or dish.

When eating sushi, most people enjoy a bite of pickled ginger between pieces of raw fish. Since the flavor of raw fish can be very subtle, many people find momentary respite from intense or spicy foods by eating a palate cleanser such as yogurt raita.

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Different Types of Palate Cleansers Foods

1) Sorbet

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit juice, sugar, water, and flavorings. It’s sweet and cold—the perfect flavor and texture to cleanse your palate for your next meal! Sorbet can be made with many different fruits--lemon, raspberry, mango or strawberry.

Sorbet is the perfect way to cleanse your palate. (Image via Pexels/Elif Tekkaya)

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2) Crackers

Crackers, especially those served with cheese, are a classic palate cleanser. The saltiness of the crackers can help bring out the flavor of other foods and drinks.

Crackers can be made from many different ingredients. Corn and rice flour are popular bases for crackers in the United States, while wheat flour is more common in Europe.

These salty snacks can also be sweetened with sugar or honey before they're baked into crispy treats—a perfect complement to many dishes!

Crackers can help bring out the flavor of other foods. (Image via Pexels / Eva Bronzini)

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3) Herbs

Herbs are a great way to cleanse your palate. They can be used in cooking or as a garnish, and they're often featured in salads. Mint, for instance, is a popular herb that can be used to make tea or sauces.

Mint is the most popular herb to include in your food (Image via Pexels / Suzy Hazelwood)

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4) Pickled Ginger

Pickled ginger is a traditional Japanese palate cleanser. It's traditionally served as an accompaniment to sushi or other seafood, though you can also use it to flavor salad dressings and soups.

Pickled ginger is very simple to make at home. You'll need two things for this purpose--fresh ginger root and rice vinegar.

Pickled ginger is usually paired with sushi. (Image via Pexels / Jana Ohajdova)

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Palate cleansers are a great way to cleanse your palate and prepare it for the next bite of food. They can also help you slow down and enjoy your meal more, rather than just eating quickly without tasting anything.