At the request of several readers, we’re bringing back the off topic thread. You can use and abuse this thread as needed or feel free to go into the forums and cause mayhem there.

Question of the Day: Can Spicy Foods Kill You?
Discussion Starter from Mental Floss

I’m learning how to cook, which has been an adventure. The other night, after an encounter with some particularly spicy Italian sausage combined with even spicier barbecue sauce, my roommates and I found ourselves wondering if eating spicy foods could kill you. I mean, it can certainly cause intense pain and chest tightness; so can too much spicy food kill you?

Well, according to everything I could find on the internet, probably not. I could only dig up a few cases where pepper killed and none of them were typical. In one, a four-year-old with pica (a penchant for eating things that aren’t necessarily nutritious) breathed pepper in and experienced respiratory failure. This medical study documents eight known cases of pepper deaths, seven of them homicides. Other research has shown that in high doses, consuming pepper can be lethal, but even I don’t put enough pepper in our food to qualify as a lethal dose. Even spice allergies are generally mild. In fact, spiciness is pretty tame; it doesn’t even kill your taste buds, since it registers in the pain sensors on our tongue. Spicy food doesn’t even cause ulcers, as we used to think, but it actually can help secrete new stomach lining and help treat them.

Pepper spray is a different beast, though. It’s not meant to be lethal (it’s often hailed as the best non-deadly defense weapon), but it can be in extreme cases. Earlier this month, a Bel Air man died after police used pepper spray to restrain him after he threatened to kill his family. However, examiners said the effects of the pepper spray were exacerbated by his 550-pound girth and high stress, which led to breathing problems and made the pepper spray lethal. Also, asthmatics and people with intense allergies can experience respiratory problems from pepper spray, which can sometimes result in death.

Overall, though, it looks like spiciness may do more good than harm. They may not kill people, but new research shows that they can help kill cancer cells. Spices can also help kill bacteria and prevent food from spoiling, which explains why some ancient cultures were so fond of piling on the pepper (I’m looking at you, Thailand). All in all, it looks like we ought to rethink the names of the world’s hottest peppers – Bih Jolokia, which translates to “poison chili pepper” and Bhut Jolokia, which means “ghost chili pepper.” Still, with an astronomic 855,000 and 1,001,304 Scoville units respectively (compared to 30,000 for cayenne and 300,000 for the habanero), it doesn’t sound like anything I’ll be using for salsa anytime soon.

Dear ChiliPal,
Just yesterday I returned from Central America. My Journey was an amazing one for sure. I set out on a quest to find the best Chili Farm on the planet. I have returned to say:

I FOUND IT!

I met a 7th Generation farmer just north of the Equator. The journey down there was long but well worth it, These photos were taken by my Driver / Translator It was amazing to meet this farmer Mr.Bonilla, His life is so pure, He wakes up with the Sun and works his farm. He knows not of the internet , cell phones, or the things most of us take for granted each day. In an odd way I found that to be so wonderfully amazing. In fact he has no address , You simply have to ask one of the locals where his farm his. He only uses a land line phone once a week in town (Population 247) to arrange for his Peppers to be picked up. So, I decided to ask him about a partnership, I agreed to purchase 92 of his 880 acres (37.23 hectares). We Will change nothing he has been doing on this amazing farm. Nothing. The money will help him purchase some needed equipment and the land cannot be sold by me for 99 years unless back to him at no profit.

In exchange for this , He will begin to grow a very specific species of Habanero for Blair’s Sauces and Snacks, as well as test new Peppers in this amazing Rich soil with Sun that pounds down so strong that the Habanero Plants you see me in front of are almost 5 feet tall when standing straight up. They bear fruit almost continuously in fact the very plants I am in front of had been picked only 5 days earlier, and as you can see are ready for more, Plus each Habanero is the size of a small melon with Flavor and heat that make my mouth water.

As a Chilihead for life I guess I can only compare this trip to a 5 year old going to Disney. The greatest place on earth. I wanted to share it with you.

FEEL ALIVE!

Your chilipal,
Blair

**UPDATE - More Pics**

Chipotle Honey Glazed Chicken Wings with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Green Onion

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Though this version of hot wings is healthier than the classic — which is deep-fried and tossed in lots of butter and hot sauce — it’s every bit as tasty.

Ingredients:
1 cup honey
2 to 3 tablespoons puréed canned chipotle chiles in adobo
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
4 tablespoons ancho chile powder, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
3 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Directions:

Heat your grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, chipotle purée, 1 tablespoon of the mustard, 1 tablespoon of the ancho powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small bowl. Divide the glaze evenly between 2 bowls, one small and the other large.

In another small bowl stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of ancho powder with the coriander, cumin and paprika.

Rinse the chicken wings under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the tips off the wings and discard (or freeze and use for making chicken stock). Cut each wing into 2 pieces through the joint.

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl, add the spice rub and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and place the wings on the grill in an even layer. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat of the grill to medium, turn the wings over, and close the lid of the grill. Continue grilling until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes longer, brushing with the small bowl of glaze every few minutes and turning once during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Transfer the wings to the large bowl, brush with the reserved glaze, and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

From “Grill It! By Bobby Flay” (Clarkson Potter, $35).

Peppers - as received from ChilePlants.com - 4/10/2008

Spacing them out - 4/11/2008

Day 1 - Planted - 4/11/2008

2 weeks later - 5/1/2008

Tomatoes - 5/1/2008

Tomatoes & peppers - 5/8/2008

Superfantastic Tomato - 5/8/2008

Red Savina - 5/1/2008

Red Savina - 5/8/2008

Saturday is gardening day here in TX - and with the exception of last Saturday when I was in California, I’ve been outside tending to the garden as much as I can on the weekends. As you can see from the pictures above, things are growing like crazy. In fact, today I’m going to have to stake the tomato plants in addition to their cages because they are growing so tall the cages aren’t enough to support them. All the tomato plants have fruit on them with the exception of the 4 I recieved from ChilePlants.com - those are taking a bit longer but they did start about 4 weeks later.

The peppers are taking off - I couldn’t believe the difference in the plants in just a week. The habaneros in particular have seem to become a salad fest for a few bugs - so I’m going to use an insecticide soap to see if that helps. No other problems with bids or squirrels (yet). Only found one tomato worm about 2 weeks ago - and I’m happy to see that the beds are actually getting some earthworm activity as well.

Still have not had a water line dug so that there’s a water source nearby - but it’s been raining at least once a week here and when I need to, I’ve been dragging the hose from the front to the back. I’m thinking of waiting on the water line until the fall before I plant the winter crops - that way I can install an entire watering system at the same time. Anyone have experience with those?

**UPDATE**

Shed in a box - ala Lowes

Before

After

Spent Sunday getting a shed from Lowes and putting it together. This one is a Duraworx 8×6 model - I was originally going to go for a smaller one as we don’t have that much that needed to be stored, but it’s Texas and bigger is always the better choice. Assembly was easy - about 2.5 hours with 2 people. Only tool required was a drill - providing that your space is already leveled.

Pepper Fest is being held at Sand Key Park, 1060 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater, FL on Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 10am til 4pm. Hot & Spicy Foods & Sauces to
Sample & Purchase along with Pepper Plants & BBQ too! FREE Parking! FREE Admission! Call 727-423-8433 for more info or email us at PepperFest@Hotmail.com

Weekend Warrior Meat Grilling Thermometers

Leave-in thermometers indicate when food is cooked to taste. Set of 4 includes 2 beef, 1 poultry and 1 pork thermometer. Glow-in-the-dark dial accents make thermometers easy to read during nighttime grilling. Stainless steel construction is safe for grill or oven use.

Weekend Warrior Digital Fork Thermometer

Measures temperature ranges from 0°F to 220°F or -18°C to 104°C. Ideal for grill, oven or stovetop use. Bright blue LCD backlight is easy to read in the dark. Display hold feature. On/Off switch and auto shut off to extend battery life. Rubberized comfort grip handle with convenient temperature guide printed on back. Stainless steel tines. Operates on 1 AAA battery (not included).

Laura & I got back into TX Sunday morning (1am) and promptly crashed - but when we finally started to wake up and move around the house, I was excited to see that a package had arrived with a bunch of BBQ tools to try out. I decided to do something that would require very little energy, but would also put these gadgets to the test, so off to the market to pick up a boston butt I went.

To me, the thermometer is a little on the short side - but it’s very sturdy and clear to read - all very important since it’s going to be smoked for 8 hours.

No special recipe for the pork butt - I went with it because I’m planning on using the meat to make carnitas for Cinco de Mayo today - and I was still jet lagged. Simply salt and pepper on the butt - with beer in the tray underneath it. The fire was set up with hardwood and left over hickory chunks. Set the fire to 225 and forget it until dinner time.

6 hours later and the little thermometer is showing that the pork butt is done - so I also double checked with the fork - both read over 170 - though there was some variation between the two. But all signs point to done, so we pulled it off the grill.

I will definitely be using the thermometers again - but like a lot of BBQ fanatics, I have issues with the fork. I just don’t want to be jabbing a ton of holes in my meat and letting out all the juices. However, I can see how it’s useful for a quick temp test - and it does double as a tool to help you lift things off the grill. Both tools are excellent for the weekend grill master, it just all depends on how you use them.

Taylor Precision Products
Corporate Headquarters
2311 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Telephone - 630-954-1250
Fax - 630-954-1275
Weekend Warrior Line

Old world red chile, this thick and rich sauce is the best enchilada sauce made today. We guarantee you will join the thousands of red chile addicts who already testify to the flavor and quality.

A find from the Fiery Foods Show - this red enchilada sauce was not the only sauce of the New Mexico Chile Company that I picked up, but it is the first one we’ve put to use. I specifically bought this sauce with Laura in mind, as she loves enchiladas and the folks in the booth were very friendly and even suggested quite a few ways to try it out.

The sauce itself is all New Mexico Red Chiles - it’s very traditional in appearance and very thin as an enchilada sauce should be. Laura was already done making the enchiladas by the time I got home, but the lid shot does give you a good idea of the character of the sauce.

Nothing fancy about these enchiladas except the sauce - and that’s the entire point. This sauce is the type of sauce that you cook a dish around - not one of those that you add to a dish. The heat is minimal - it’s more of a tickle then anything else, but the flavor is extraordinary. It takes me back to NM and reminds me of all the great meals I’ve had while there.

The homemade taste of this sauce really makes it stand out - it’s not your average canned sauce and will make any dish stand out amongst the crowd.

We used the entire jar for one dish (albeit a large one) of enchiladas and I’ve already re-ordered myself some more. It’s a great sauce to have on hand when you need to throw a quick dinner together for the family or even whip up a fancy dish for the in-laws. When you get yourself some, make sure to pick up the green chile sauce as well - it’s equally delicious!

New Mexico Chile Company™
5555 Zuni RD SE 20-109
Albuquerque NM 87108
info@coyotechile.com

Tony Legner’s Habanero Premium Steak Sauce: $8 a bottle

A new release at the 2008 Fiery Foods Show - this sauce was so hot off the press at show time that Tony had not yet even announced the line up. Hopefully those that attended managed to give it a whirl and grab yourself a bottle. Tony’s Cat-5 Food Polish is still one of my favorite dusts for a bland dish and knowing that Tony’s restaurant is as successful as it is, I was more then willing to give his new sauce a try.

Up Close

Looking at the sauce, it’s doesn’t look like any steak sauce I’ve ever seen before. The appearance is almost a translucent brown with flakes of ingredients running throughout.

Smell: It smells like a steak - not a steak sauce, but like the little sauce that drips off a steak after you cook it. To put it bluntly, the smell of this sauce is drool inducing.

Perfect for a t-bone

Steak was the only way I could foresee trying this sauce out on, given the name, at least to start. I cooked up a mean t-bone and went to town. The sauce does have a bit of a heat tickle to it which is surprising given that the smell does not alert ones senses to the presence of the habanero. Coating the steak nicely, the consistency of the sauce is a bit thinner then a typical steak sauce (like A1). The flavor though, is out of this world. With a sauce this tasty, you could make anything taste gourmet.

The sauce by itself is ever so slightly sweet, with the undertones of spice and a hint of mushroom. On the steak itself, it’s like the sauce draws out the already great flavors of the steak. Laura & I went through almost half the bottle with this one steak and I tried it out the other night on burgers - fantastic! If you’ve got any sort of plans to grill this summer, do yourself a favor and get yourself a few bottles of Tony’s steak sauce - you won’t be disappointed.

Tony Legner’s Culinary Productions
1003 East Concho Street
Rockport, Texas 78382
361-386-0084

FOOD NETWORK IS LOOKING FOR AMAZING STORIES FOR A GROUNDBREAKING NEW SERIES!!!

Do you or someone you know have an amazing food related story to tell? Do you know someone who has gone from being homeless to the owner of their own restaurant, makes pop art out of pineapples, or eats nothing but peanuts? Do you know someone who is battling food fears or phobias? Has food helped to cure an illness, changed the course of your life, or helped to inspire you in some dramatic way? We are looking for all types of stories even those that are odd or humorous to feature on and upcoming series for the Food Network.

Casting is underway, so Email a brief description of your story with your contact information and picture of yourself ASAP to michaelraptis@alroker.com or call 646.723.9848 to be considered for the show.

I’ve never made a brisket before and never thought about trying one until moving here. You see, brisket might well be the staple of Texas BBQ. If a BBQer can cook a mean brisket, well, then they can cook just about anything. After my 2nd trip to Southside Market (I have to travel to Austin for work) - I decided to attempt my first brisket - after all, how hard could it be?

Following some advice that I found online, I picked up a “packer” cut brisket at the market on Friday night and went to work. I seasoned it with the 6 Pepper Blend Seasoning that I picked up at Southside (note: good on brisket, too powerful for ribs) and fired up the BGE. I put the brisket on the BGE around 7pm, with the intention of letting it slow cook all night long. It barely fit on the grill by the way.

Around 11pm, before heading off to bed, I checked it and noted that the temp had creeped up to almost 300 degrees (it was supposed to hold at 200). Seeing that the brisket was cooking way to fast, I pulled it off and wrapped it in foil. I dampered the fire down to 225 and put the brisket back on. Off to bed I went.

At 5am on Saturday, the brisket fumes were getting to me and I dragged myself out of bed and pulled it off the grill. You can see just how tasty it looked - now imagine the smell of that in your house at the butt crack of dawn. We most certainly had brisket for breakfast.

You can see on the brisket, there’s a slight smoke ring to it - but not as good as I would have liked. The meat itself was just slightly tough - the high early temp didn’t allow it to slow cook like I would have liked.

Nevertheless, the brisket was still excellent for sandwiches. Not one I would serve just sliced and on a plate, but it certainly was tasty enough for a good BBQ ‘wich. Next time notes: lower & slower - more smoke. Anyone else have brisket tips to share?