Tag Archives: taste

“Fire” Extinguishers

Hot food is usually served in small quantities with foods that cool the palate. If you’re new to hot foods and hot sauces, start slowly. Always start with a small amount and add more to taste as desired. Your tolerance for heat will increase the more often you indulge in fiery foods!

Because capsaicin, the chemical that created the heat in chiles and peppers, is an oil based substance, the worst thing you can do is to drink water or beer when your mouth is on fire. They just spread the pain even more! Instead, try some bread, rice, beans, yogurt, sour cream, milk or cheese as they will help absorb the oil and take away the burn.

Bite Your Tongue When Sharing These Hot Sauce Tips!

Linda in Newsletter, Site News

Serious hot sauce lovers and collectors already use “liquid fire” in all kinds of ways. Outlined below are some suggestions that people may not have thought of or for those more timid, to convert and inspire them to “eat the heat”:

• Try mixing a small amount of hot sauce with softened cream cheese as a spread for bagels or as a dip for vegetables or crackers.

• Mix equal parts of olive oil and your favorite hot sauce and marinate skinless chicken breasts or fish fillets before grilling or broiling.

• Mix equal parts of soy sauce, dry sherry and hot sauce (or to taste), add a small amount of corn starch and mix in at the end of cooking your favorite stir-fry dish. If you’re using meat in your stir-fry, marinate the meat in the sauce mixture beforehand.

• Add a few drops of hot sauce to mayonnaise or salad dressing to add some extra flavor.

• Add a few drops of hot sauce to your favorite salsa, gravy, soup or stew for a little extra “kick”.

• For a different flavor in your next Bloody Mary, Caesar or glass of vegetable juice, try adding a few drops of your favorite hot sauce to “kick” up the taste.

• Use hot sauce on pizza and pasta dishes instead of red pepper flakes.

• Try cooking ham, pork roasts or smoked sausage in any tropical fruit nectar (pineapple, etc.) with a few shakes of hot sauce.

• Try a Caribbean style hot sauce on cottage cheese or your favorite salad as a low calorie, low fat dressing.

• Try mixing your favorite hot sauce with ketchup for a quick and delicious barbecue sauce.

• Tired of airplane food when travelling? Try carrying your own hot sauce to jazz up whatever they serve you.

• Try replacing the salt in your diet with hot sauce. Sprinkle it on burgers, vegetables, eggs, rice, salads, sandwiches or on any food that you’ve grilled. The sauce adds great flavor and is much better for you.

Fresh and Dried Chile Information

Linda in Newsletter, Site News

When selecting fresh chiles, make sure that the skin is smooth and they are firm to the touch. Once they become wrinkled, they develop an earthy taste and their crisp texture and fresh flavor are gone. Use fresh chiles as soon as possible. They can be kept, however, for up to two weeks if wrapped in a dry cloth or paper towel inside a paper bag in the refrigerator.

Charring fresh chiles enhances the flavor of the flesh. Place the firm, fresh chile directly over an open flame or under a broiler until blistered and charred. Immediately put the charred chiles into a plastic or paper bag and set aside to sweat for about 10 minutes. Peel off the blackened skin (don’t worry about picking off every bit of skin) and use in your favorite recipe.

When selecting dried chiles, buy loose instead of packed whenever possible. Choose chiles that are still a little flexible and not totally dried out. Before using dried chiles, place them in a warm skillet and heat until they become pliable or for about 2 minutes. Store dried chiles in a cool, dry place or keep them in your freezer in zip-lock freezer bags.

To reconstitute, place the toasted, dried chiles in a saucepan and cover them with boiling water. Weight them with a small dish to keep them submerged and let them sit for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft.

The easiest way to control the flavor and heat of dishes containing reconstituted dried chiles is to make them into purées. They can be added to dishes in increments until the desired balance of flavor and heat is reached.