How to translate the answer to: Is it hot?

Question

Us gringos have to learn how to convert temperature from F to C and measurements from inches/feet/miles to mm/cm/kilometers and quarts to liters. Now here is how to convert what people tell you about spiceness to reality.

I struggle to get Mexicans to give me hot food. Not so the Thais or Indians (from India). :) - bosquederoble, Jan 5, 2016

I always say "Si no pica, ¡no vale!" I love spicy. Plus chilis add a lot of distinct flavors to food. - gringojrf, Jan 5, 2016

Indian from India can be burning hot! - annierats, Jan 7, 2016

Answer 1

I'm going to out-science bosquederobl once (not competing with you, old chap, you are the master). The chemical ingredient that causes peppers to burn our mouths is capsaicin. 8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide (copied from Wikipedia) which is an acid that is not soluble in water but in alcohol or fat. So if you ever burn your mouth with a pepper drink whole milk, cream or whiskey to move the acid from clinging to your tongue and mouth.

I choose whiskey!! - Winkfish, Jan 6, 2016

And after cutting chilis wash your hands numerous times with soap and water and lime juice. Do not under any circumstances rub your eyes for several hours. - gringojrf, Jan 6, 2016

Greasy fried tortillas cut the heat faster than any drink if suffering. - 00551866, Jan 6, 2016

Thanks, Andre, that makes sense and very apropos to the meal sometimes. - Jubilado, Jan 6, 2016

I actually say to people- if you don't put some capsaicin in it, my wife is going to complain. But I admit quite a few have no idea what that means. :D - bosquederoble, Jan 6, 2016

I worked with chemists 30 years, it's another world but always fascinating! - Jubilado, Jan 6, 2016

Answer 2

Like the post Gringo.

FYI: Spices were necessary before refrigeration for food prservation. In hotter climates food spoils faster so larger quanities of the more powerful spices were needed. The areas available spices became the countries' flavors they are now known for. It was out of necessity for indigenous tribes to survive not for flavor.

Check it out if interested.

Why-do-Indians-eat-extremely-spicy-food

Interesting. Chilis are easily dried so that goes with the pre-refrigeration theory. And they reconstitute well without losing their heat. Also once used to them you can't eat food without the "kick", it is just too bland. - gringojrf, Jan 6, 2016

Chili, garlic and many more kill bacteria that causes food to spoil. - 00551866, Jan 6, 2016

Answer 3

Thanks for the informative post. Here's to preserving one's palate.

And I put habanero salsa on all my tacos. - gringojrf, Jan 6, 2016

I also make a burned dried chili sauce with the Thai chilis that you just need the very tip of a spoon to heat up an entire bowl of caldo. A drop in rice makes a great "dirty rice" with a bite of its own. - gringojrf, Jan 6, 2016

That might be a little hot for my tastebuds. I do like spicy food. - katydew, Jan 6, 2016

Answer 4

Now, Gringo, how come the Mexicans love everything so picante, whilst the Spanish really, mostly only like potatoes?This will cause an uproar but I've now eaten several festive Christmas meals, and whilst nice, nobody could say that any of he traditional Spanish dishes 'pican'. So where has this influence come from? The native Indians? '

I'm interested and I've never been to South America, is it the same all over? - annierats, Jan 5, 2016

Chili peppers have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BCE. The most recent research shows that chili peppers were domesticated more than 6000 years ago in Mexico, in the region that extends across southern Puebla and norther - bosquederoble, Jan 5, 2016

Annie, I grow up in New Mexico with a large native american population and very spicy food. So I think you are on the right track. - gringojrf, Jan 5, 2016

rn Oaxaca to southeastern Veracruz,[6] and were one of the first self-pollinating crops cultivated in Mexico, Central and parts of South America.[7] Peru is considered the country with the highest cultivated Capsicum diversity because it is a center of d - bosquederoble, Jan 5, 2016

diversification where varieties of all five domesticates were introduced, grown, and consumed in pre-Columbian times. Bolivia is considered to be the country where the largest diversity of wild Capsicum peppers are consumed. - bosquederoble, Jan 5, 2016

Native American influences, as Bosque points out pre Spanish influence. - gringojrf, Jan 5, 2016

I mainly posted because of your question. :) - 00551866, Jan 6, 2016

Thanks a lot, all of you! Most interesting. - annierats, Jan 7, 2016