Hi Dave,I have learned a lot from your book, "The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia", which I purchased a few months ago. A subject of great interest to me is to understand exactly how one pepper type is hotter than the next. From your book I have learned that the crystalline alkaloid makeup of all chile peppers is exactly the same with …
Pepper Burn Remedy
Dave:Do you know of a remedy for taking away the "burn" after you cut up hot peppers?LizLiz:A study at the University of New Mexico suggested that rubbing your hands with vegetable oil is the best cure. Since dairy products work for the mouth, try them on your hands!DaveSuperSite visitor Leon adds: A good remedy for the burn that is associated …
Capsaicin Concentrate wanted
Dear DaveI am a chilehead as well and I have been looking for capsaicin to spike up the heat in some of my sweater sauces. I do not produce nor do I plan to produce any of these sauces for sale. I enjoy the chalange of making a good hot sauce for every food I like. "PURE CAP" does not …
Hottest Habanero?
Hi Dave:Need help to settle a bet at work. Who holds the record for the hottest habanero?–Mark GMark:The hottest habanero record is held by Frank Garcia of GNS Spices, and certified by the Guinness Book of World Records at 577,000 Scoville Heat Units. To my knowledge, this record has never been duplicated or verified. The same variety, ’Red Savina’, was …
How Scoville Units are measured
Dear Dave,How are "Scoville Units" determined, and what is the method of taking this measurement? Is it done mechanically somehow?Peace,DanHello Dan:Scoville Heat Units were first developed in 1912 by pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville, who used human tasters for his Scoville Organoleptic Test. Now, High Performance Liquid Chromatography is used to determine parts per million of capsaicin, which is then converted into …