Q: Hi Dave,I love chiles–all kinds–but at times, when I eat spicy foods, I get an instantaneous reaction which is a bit difficult to describe. Most accurately, it makes my head "swim" and my eyes want to close. This happened in a very pronounced manner this evening at a Thai restaurant. We had a very spicy soup, and I have …
Grubs in the Bed
Q: Dear Dave,I have a raised hot pepper garden with 40 different types of peppers. Lately I’ve been finding grubs in the bed—will this hurt the plants? If so, what can be used to get rid of them?Thanks, Gordon A: Gordon:Most of the time grubs are common cutworms that attack only pepper seedlings and chop them down at the base. If …
Dave’s Faves (Cookbooks)
Q: Dear Dave,What other chef’s cookbook[s] do you enjoy reading/cooking from?–Cate A: Hello Cate:Now that’s an interesting question! I like Jessica Harris (Beyond Gumbo), Steven Raichlen (The BBQ Guy), Richard Sterling (many food travel books), Robb Walsh (Legends of Texas BBQ), and Rick Brown (Grilling in America). For food history, I enjoy Mark Kurlansky (Salt), and I really like the …
Homemade Chili Powder
Q: Hi Dave,I would like to know if it is possible to make homemade chili powder. I notice in most recipes call for store-bought chili powder like New Mexican red and green, etc. I live in Africa and we do not have access to anything like that. I believe my mother used some kind of brick-type chili she bought at …
Variability in Ripening & When to Pick
Q: Dear Dave,I grew habaneros for the first time this year and I am having a bumper crop! My question is this: The majority of my peppers have remained a deep green, while I have one that has turned orange early on. Is this normal for habanero plants? Also, what is the best way to know when to pick them?Thanks, …