A: Hello Chuck:Chiles do increase blood circulation, which warms you up. Not by being eaten, though—but rather by being rubbed on your skin!–Dave Q: Sorry Dave, but I disagree. I live in ND where we generally have 5 to 6 months of winter, often getting down between -10 to -20 without the wind chill, and as cold as -100 or …
Emotionally Chile
Dear Dave,When sadness slows one’s heart, when fear closes one’s eyes, or when love has left a shallow groove in one’s soul, can a good kick in the cojones from a habanero reignite the kiss of life? More specifically, is there any correlation between emotion and Scoville Units?Thanks, Eric Schmider A: Hello Eric:Great question. Actually, since capsaicin induces the body to …
Why Does Hot Sauce Change Color?
Q: Hi Dave,I was wondering why hot sauces change color (red to brownish) after long periods of time. Does this affect the sauce in any way (potency, taste, etc)?Thanks, Paul A: Hello Paul:The color change is the result of oxidation, and it can affect the flavor of the sauce but not the potency.–Dave
Why Dairy Stops the Hot
Q: Dear Dave, My son is doing a science project involving hot sauce. He knows that capsaicin makes a pepper hot, but what "stops the hot?” We have heard that dairy is best, but what we don’t know why. Thanks for your help, Alice and son A: Hello Alice:Information I have says that the protein casein in dairy products somehow strips …
How to Extract the Capsaicin from the Pepper
Q: Dear Fellow Hothead,How do manufacturers extract the capsaicin from the pepper to make a hot sauce hotter than a habanero?Matthew Michel A: Hello Matthew:Hot red chile peppers are dried, ground, and pelletized. They are treated with hexane, a petroleum distillate that acts as a solvent, and the result is oleoresin capsicum, a thick, reddish oil. The oil is heated …