Cooking With Fire - an MJM Grande Enterprises Ltd. Production

Harvesting and Drying Chile Peppers
October 7th, 2008

Chile peppers should be harvested for maximum colour, when the pods have partially dried on the plant, as the succulent red pods have not fully developed their colour. Pod moisture content from red chile peppers is between 65% and 80%, depending on whether they are partially dried on the plant or harvested while still succulent.

Oven drying is my preferred way to dry chiles because of cleanliness. In an oven there is little or no dust to settle on them bringing with it microbes that will cause spoilage when stored for long periods. No flies can land on them, no insects can lay eggs in them, no birds can peck at them and expose them to bacteria, mold and mildew. They also become drier. The air in an oven is much more dry than outside air, and the drier the chile the longer it will store and the better it will taste when finally eaten.

Rinse your ripened chiles, remove the stems, and put them in the oven for drying in the same metal screen mesh colander you gathered and rinsed them in. Don’t overheat your chilies. Set oven control at its lowest setting, but not below 140-150 degrees. If using an electric oven, wedge something heat proof between oven and door to allow a 1″ opening. Moisture from the drying food will vent through this opening. Close the door on a gas oven, this will cause moisture to escape via the exhaust gas flue.

Store the pods in zip lock or other air tight containers after they become crispy dry. Any remaining moisture in them may cause mold during storage. If you are drying for seeds, use the lower range of drying temperature so as not to kill your seeds.

Hot and Spicy Mood Lifter
July 30th, 2008

We all know someone who loves their spicy food.  Well, as it turns out, there is some science behind the love of hot flavors.  Capsaicin, the chemical that produces the heat in chiles and peppers, increases the release of feel-good endorphins when the spice hits the tongue, according to Dr. Paul Rozin, Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Endorphins are known for their ability to reduce stress, relieve depression, and significantly raise the spirits.  So, if you need an emotional lift, add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper to your next meal.

Bug Off – Improved Pepper Repellents Beat DEET!
June 30th, 2008

Imagine dousing yourself with mosquito repellent at the start of summer and remaining bite-free nearly all season long!

Researchers in Gainesville, Fla., have identified several potent mosquito repellents that keep bugs from biting for up to 73 days — more than three times longer than the current gold standard, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, better known as DEET.  DEET is the world’s most widely used bug repellent.

The experiment showed that “most of these novel acylpiperidines were equivalent to or better than DEET in duration of protection,” Katritzky writes in the journal article. His team reports that DEET repelled the mosquitoes for 17.5 days.  Some of the pepper-based compounds lasted up to 73 days.

The team published their findings in the May 27, 2008 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

But because bug sprays wear off with water and washings, it’s unlikely you’d be able to spray once and keep bugs off all summer — unless of course you never shower, sweat, or swim.  You should always reapply insect repellents after such activities.  However, longer-lasting mosquito repellents are favorable, because many of us forget to reapply and don’t use protection when we need it — and chances are mosquitoes are around even when you don’t see them.  Using insect repellent helps protect you against dangerous mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and malaria.

Toasting Spices
May 5th, 2008

Toasting spices is a technique used to deepen and intensify the flavors of spices.  Spices take on enhanced flavor when exposed to heat.

To toast dry spices, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.  Place whole or ground spices in skillet and stir until very fragrant and the color begins to deepen (be careful not to overcook or burn).  Remove from heat and cool.  If using seeds, use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder to grind into powder.  We generally only toast the spices that we need immediately as the intensity of the flavor diminishes after about 1 week.

A Chile By Any Other Name
April 10th, 2008

Fresh chiles have different names than their dried counterparts. The following is a description of some of the more common fresh and dried chile combinations:

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