How hot is hot?
In the early days of spicy food, there was no "objective and scientific" means of comparing the hot. The early comparative scale ranged from a barely discernable wooowoo to an earsplitting OoooooooooooooooooomyGod!

How hot can hot be?
Pure capsaicin (cap-say-sin), which is the part of the pepper that is experienced as spicy, is 15 million Scoville Units. Capsaicin is so powerful, pepper sprays are now generally used instead of tear gas by police departments and FBI. Contrary to popular belief, there is no clinical evidence to show peppers harm the stomach.

By the way, the factor that make the most difference to a chili's heat level is its maturity on the vine. Capsaicin is present even at the beginning of the fruit's development, but the amount of capsaicin increases significantly as the chili matures.

How sexy can hot be?
Don't ask us why anyone ever designed this experiment: hey, let's see what really turns on the most obnoxious bugs? But it was scientifically discovered that peppers had an aphrodisiac effect on water fleas. From there, it was discovered that pepper eaters are attracted to a sensation which produces endorphins, and this sensation builds up tolerance, so the poor pepper eater, once smitten, is forever seeking hotter sensations and a bigger endorphin turn-on!

So now you have actual scientific proof. Chili peppers are, in fact, addicting. You'll probably rather not know why, but here it is anyway. When the capsaicin in the chili comes in contact with the nerves in your mouth, pain signals are sent to your brain. In reaction to this threat, your brain releases its natural painkillers, which are endorphins, which in turn create a feeling of well being. The more spicy food you ingest, the more endorphins are released. The result is a warm, pleasurable feeling that all true chile-lovers learn to crave.

A biological mis-use of pepper facts
The ubiqitous black pepper belongs to the genus Piper. Both the hot pepper family and their mild cousins, the bell peppers, belong to the genus Capsicum. It is possible that this name came from the Greek verb, Kapto, meaning, "I bite!"

For hotness, size matters
In general, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be. All the world's most potent peppers are under three inches long.

Where do these little monsters come from?
Cultivated peppers are originally from the Americas. While the word "discovery" has some unfortunate politically uncorrect overtones, Columbus probably first scorched his taste buds on chile peppers in 1492 on the West Indian island of Hispanola, today known as the Dominican Republic. Prior to his visit, chili peppers were unknown to the rest of the world.

There are over 200 different varieties of chili peppers which vary in color, shape, size and degree of hotness. More than half are indigenous to Mexico.

Today, India grows more peppers than any other single country in the world.

Are there any health benefits to eating chili peppers?
Good news! There are a lot health benefits for hot peppers, according to many sources. Therapeutic benefits claimed for spicy peppers include being a lung cleanser, an expectorant, relief for mild bronchitis (the bacterial form requires serious medical intervention!). Chili peppers are claimed to be helpful for emphysema, as a decongestant, for dissolving blood clots, and as general pain killers. Chilis are also used in numerous arthritis rubs.

Fresh chili peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C as citrus fruits. When fresh peppers are dried, they lose most of their vitamin C content, but their vitamin A content increases 100 times! The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 5000 international units, and 60 milligrams for vitamin A. While you can meet these allowances by eating a teaspoon of pure chile powder for the vitamin A and an ounce of fresh pepper for vitamin C, we think this would be out on the edge of chili-weirdness to use them for this. We definitely recommend you don't use Habanero chili peppers to get your vitamins C and A unless you have someone nearby with oxygen and other emergency medical equipment. Chili Peppers are also rich in E, P, and K+, whatever they are.

Chili Peppers are the second most frequently used seasoning in the world, after salt.

Cooking with chili peppers
If you want to reduce the heat when preparing them for consumption, remove all the seeds and veins. Also remember that fresh peppers will lose some heat when cooked, while dried peppers will get hotter. Try soaking dried peppers in water for an hour before cooking. If you want to roast your chili peppers, you'll want to remove the skin of most varieties.

When selecting chili peppers at the market, always look for peppers that are firm, with no dark spots or soft spots, with skins that have a natually gloss to them. Obviously, the best way to maintain high quality is to grow your own.

Chili peppers will keep for about two weeks if you keep them refrigerated and store them properly in a sealable container.

Handling chili peppers
You can protect your hands by wearing rubber gloves before handling chilis. Regardless of whether you use gloves or not, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, being careful not to rub your eyes, face, or other sensitive areas! Remember that concentrated chili peppers are used as a replacement for tear gas, and can be extremely painful if the Capsaicin gets into your eyes.

Weird chili pepper facts
Having a problem with squirrels and other furry creatures eating your birdseed? Birds don't seem to mind ground chili peppers, while it is great fun to watch squirrels leap three feet straight into the air the first time they taste salsa birdseed.

Inca Indians still tie a string of chilis behind their boat to repel sharks. To our knowledge, no one has tried this in Wall Street yet.

Chili Pepper Garden Menu: