Possible Clues:

• Wine critics, e.g.
• Food samplers first try Michaelmas daisies
• Son tucks into vegetables, just a little of each
• Son tucked into common potatoes for samples
• Intrepid palace employees
• They prevent the king from being poisoned
• Wine competition attendees
• Police weapons must encompass first of thug's experiences
• Tea judges perhaps set rats scurrying
• They try things for a living