This was on "Trivia-a-Day:" .... Question: Why doesn't drinking water cool your mouth after eating spicy food? Answer: The spices in most of the hot foods that we eat are oily, and, like your elementary school science teacher taught you, oil and water don't mix. In this case, the water just rolls over the oily spices. So what can you do to calm your aching tongue? Try one of these three methods. Eat bread. The bread will absorb the oily spices. A second solution is to drink milk. Milk contains a substance called "casein" which will bind to the spices and carry them away. Finally, you could drink something alcoholic. Alcohol will dissolve the oily spices. ............ I wondered why Margaritas always seem to work! Myron in Florida '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Myron Menaker Daytona Beach FL USA myronm@bellsouth.net | \ / _\/_ .-'-. //o\ _\/_ -- / \ -- | /o\\ jgs^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^-=======-~^~^~^~~^~^~^~|~~^~^|^~` "Keep the Whole World Singing!" | .....................................................