Cooking With Fire - an MJM Grande Enterprises Ltd. Production

Measuring the Heat
December 11th, 2008

In 1912, a pharmacist by the name of Wilbur Scoville developed a method to measure the heat level of chile peppers.  The pungency is measured in multiples of 100 units from the bell pepper, which rates at zero, to the fire-breathing habanero, which measures in at the highest end of the scale at three hundred thousand. The units of measurement are referred to as “Scoville units” or “Scovilles” and are best described as units of dilution.  A chile that rates 1 Scoville unit would take 1 unit of water to negate the heat. For example, it would take 30,000 to 50,000 units of water to neutralize a Tabasco pepper.

These days, many chile lovers use a new system which is referred to as the Official Chile Heat Scale, which rates the heat of chiles from 0 to 10. On this simpler scale, bell peppers still rate as 0 and habaneros rate at the top end of the scale with a 10.  Comparatively, jalapenos rate as 5, serranos at 6, and cayennes and Tabascos at 8. 

It’s interesting that regardless of the heat rating that a chile may have, everyone’s palate is different and some lower registering chiles will taste hotter to some people than a higher registering chile. For example, an East Indian dish may taste very hot to someone used to Mexican spicing, even though the chiles used measure lower on the heat scale.

Fortunately, most chile lovers are more concerned with flavor than with the heat measurement!

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.

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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Hot and Healthy!
November 1st, 2007

Millions of people from many cultures from around the world enjoy the flavor and fire of hot foods. After all, chiles are the second most common spices in the world, following salt. Few people, however, realize the many health benefits that chile peppers offer.

A substance called capsaicin causes the heat of chiles and peppers and has been used medicinally for centuries. Capsaicin has been associated with many cures that include lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and warding off strokes and heart attacks, speeding up metabolism, treating colds and fevers, preventing cancer and pain control.
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