Originally Posted by
freecia
Speaking of wasabi and "spicy". What are the Japanese words for the type of nasal burn that wasabi/horseradish brings rather than mouth burning/heat peppers? It's not the same words in Mandarin and most Indian dialects also have different words for flavorful, nasal spicy, vs mouth burn but alas, in English, it's all "spicy"?
I've always thought spicy was just the wrong word to describe mustard, horseradish, or wasabi. I think pungent, hot, sharp are better adjectives - and kick or bite are better nouns to describe the sensation. Recently, I see the word "mouthfeel," gaining currency in culinary discussions. For wasabi, we should be talking about "nose feel."
Diner 1: Do you think this is real wasabi?
Diner 2: Meh. It's got a sharp bite but there's no disguising the caustic nose feel of ersatz wasabi.
Diner 1: Yeah. It tastes like they made it by mashing up leaves with gasoline and ammonia in a pit
Diner 2: Hmm. I'm getting aromas of old leather too.