Q: Dear Dave,A long time ago, a Mexican friend told me that in order to ensure that your jalapeño pepper is fiery hot, you should roll it between your hand and the table, being careful not to break the pepper open, then let it sit for 30 minutes. I have used this method extensively and it works almost every time. …
Why are Some Hot Sauces Bitter?
Q: Hi Dave,I’m Sgt Steve Powell, a Canadian "Army Sargent" up here in Canada, currently working as a facilitator in a Deployment Support Centre. Our boys are over in Afghanistan and it is my job to provide spousal assistance if problems arise on the "home front," whatever their nature may be. I have just recently become a hot sauce devotee …
How to Transport Roasted Chiles
Q: Dear Dave,We are planning on going to Hatch, NM for the Chile Festival in September 2003, Labor Day weekend. We would like to purchase chiles and have them roasted. How long do we have to bring them home to Chandler, AZ and freeze them before they go bad? What is the best way to transport roasted chiles?Thanks, Duane and …
Burn on Both Ends
Q: Dear Dave,I am 18 years old and have eaten hot food my entire life, thus my tolerance is quite high. Lately, however, I find myself eating very spicy foods and sauces, and suffering later for it, when it hurts the whole way down! It seems my digestive tract just isn’t as tolerant of the capsaicin as my mouth is. …
Seeds vs. Veins
Q: Dave,About six months ago I saw a T.V. program on chile peppers. One of the things that stood out was that the seeds were not the hottest part of the pepper. As well as I can remember, they said that the veins in the pepper were where all of the hot came from. Is this true?Thank you, Sam A: Hello …