Africa: A Continent of Chiles

Dave DeWitt Africa Leave a Comment

By Dave DeWitt An Excerpt from Precious Cargo: How Foods From the Americas Changed the World(Counterpoint Press, 2014). Available here. The high priest of African chiles was Laurens van der Post, the South African author who wrote, “The man who has become hooked on piri-piri hungers for his favorite dish like a junkie for heroin, because the person who has …

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New Mexico Chile Pepper History Through 1973

Dave DeWitt Historical Gardening Leave a Comment

By Tom Clevenger and David G. Kraenzel   Chile has been produced in the Rio Grande Valley for almost 400 years. The following excerpt from the Rio Abajo Press, February 2, 1863, indicates the importance of the crop more than 100 years ago: “Congress takes fifty thousand dollars out of the pockets of the people of the United States to …

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Media Mangles Report: Capsaicin Does Not Cause Skin Cancer

Lois Manno Chiles and Health Leave a Comment

Media Mangles Report: Study Shows Capsaicin Does Not Cause Skin Cancer By Lois Manno Editor’s note: the spelling of ‘chili’ is used instead of ‘chile’ because the scientific study used this form of the word. Findings Given a Frightening SpinA study in the journal Cancer Research appears to link capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. This is …