Good Question: What Makes Food Tangy?

Here is a rather fun question from reader Kelly:

What ingredients, spices, seasonings, etc. make food tangy? I was craving something tangy the other night, and I realized I was having a hard time pinpointing exactly what would fulfill that desire.

What an interesting question, Kelly. We usually associate "tangy" with "sour" -- but they aren't completely the same. We looked up "tangy" in various definitions, and it seems that "tangy" also implies sweet. One definition associated with coffee flavors and characteristics says that tangy is "An intensely piercing sweet and sour impression along the sides of the tongue."

We associate a tangy taste with citrus and Caribbean food, with some light tomato sauces and Mediterranean dishes, and most of all with Vietnamese and Thai cuisines. To get that taste, we think of ingredients in combinations like lime juice with soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce. Also, tomatoes with vinegar and sugar, and some dairy foods like yogurt and cream cheese.

OK, readers, what do you say? What makes food tangy?

(Images: Kiwi shot by Flickr member Roger Smith and quark shot by Flickr member Roo Reynolds, both licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (3)

I used to work with a man who described kethchup as TWANGY because it was both sweet and tangy.

For me, tang is all about acid and inducing -- if not a full pucker -- at least a bit of lip pursing.

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posted by Dana McCauley on December 17th 2008 at 9:53pm
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Citric Acid is what gives food that face puckering effect. You might be able to find it at a specialty store or else through a large food distributor.

posted by kerry ellen on December 18th 2008 at 12:05pm
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I would definitely say that sour and tangy are distinct but related. Sour to me indicates more of an intense 'pucker your lips' taste, whereas Tangy is a more refreshing, less intense flavoring. I typically associate it with say ranch dressing, where the tang would come from the acidity in the buttermilk or sour cream, or any type of dish prepared with any citrus fruit. Definitely acidic foods need to be involved to give the necessary zing. If you are looking for a quick snack take a few tortillas, section them into chips, squeeze some lime juice over them and sprinkle with garlic salt and bake until toasty. Kind of a homemade Tostitos with Lime if you will.

posted by canole07 on December 18th 2008 at 12:27pm
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