Capsaicin is a funny thing, and wickedly unforgiving. As a spring project, I am growing chili pequin, Thai, habanero, red savina, ghost, and scorpion peppers. Prior to this, I’ve enjoyed spicy food, but not hunted it down or had much of a tolerance for it that would extend into the “hobby class”. As the peppers have ripened, I’ve made different recipes with them, and my PERCEIVED tolerance has increased considerably. For example, some of the hot sauces I’ve made that my family won’t touch, aren’t really hot anymore. I’ve also dried and ground the peppers, and using the dried flakes was initially a steam out the ears experience, but quickly became a flavor seasoning. So, I must have eaten enough capsaicin to just pop a regular orange habanero in my mouth and enjoy its mild, fruity flavor, right? El wrongo dude. All that “tolerance” went bye bye as the sizzle became stronger. But, it receded pretty quickly, less than 5 minutes. Same thing has happened when I thought I’d give eating a red savina a try. Only made it about 1/3 of the way through one pepper before wimping out.
It’s interesting how the capsaicin hits you differently between the different peppers. Habanero is a fruity flavor followed by and increasing under the tongue sizzle. Red savina waits 45 seconds then hits your lips, sides of your tongue, and cheeks, but not so much the throat. Has better sustain than the regular orange habanero. Basically by the time it starts burning you are already in deep doodoo. Ghost is more of a tip of the tongue and throat burn, and I really don’t think the ones I’ve grown are more potent than the red savinas. Either that or my red savinas are punching above their weight. Scorpion is just an instantaneous chemical burn and the pain is generally indiscernible as to what hurts the most. Not so much flavor to it, just pure lasting heat. I licked my fingers after cutting up a scorpion, and then kissed my wife. Her lips burned for a good 10 minutes.
I’ve gotten to where I eat more capsaicin each day than would probably be considered normal, but it is still able to pack a serious unexpected punch. It’s odd how my tolerance is for a lot of capsaicin in food, but just a little from a raw pepper will still wreck me pretty good. Fortunately I do not suffer from the secondary effects that some do, because I just wouldn’t even bother with it. Fire on the way out is way worse than fire on the way in.
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It’s interesting how the capsaicin hits you differently between the different peppers. Habanero is a fruity flavor followed by and increasing under the tongue sizzle. Red savina waits 45 seconds then hits your lips, sides of your tongue, and cheeks, but not so much the throat. Has better sustain than the regular orange habanero. Basically by the time it starts burning you are already in deep doodoo. Ghost is more of a tip of the tongue and throat burn, and I really don’t think the ones I’ve grown are more potent than the red savinas. Either that or my red savinas are punching above their weight. Scorpion is just an instantaneous chemical burn and the pain is generally indiscernible as to what hurts the most. Not so much flavor to it, just pure lasting heat. I licked my fingers after cutting up a scorpion, and then kissed my wife. Her lips burned for a good 10 minutes.
I’ve gotten to where I eat more capsaicin each day than would probably be considered normal, but it is still able to pack a serious unexpected punch. It’s odd how my tolerance is for a lot of capsaicin in food, but just a little from a raw pepper will still wreck me pretty good. Fortunately I do not suffer from the secondary effects that some do, because I just wouldn’t even bother with it. Fire on the way out is way worse than fire on the way in.
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