Sean Hannity Thread Eats 3/8/07
The chef is here. Good eats for everyone.
Capsicum Annuum - Bell Pepper (0-50), Paprika, Pimento, Jalapeño (2,500-10,000), Chilies (various)
Bell Pepper and Cascabell 
Capsicum Chinense - Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, Datil, and Naga Jolokia
Red Savina Habanero (580,000) and Naga Jolokia (855,000) 
Capsicum Frutescens - Tabasco and Malagueta Peppers (60-100,000 for both) 
Capsicum Pendulum - African Red Devil or Piri-Piri (175,000) 
Capsicum pubescens - Rocoto (50-250,000) (Oldest cultivated pepper) 
There are some 46 species of Capsicum pepper, of which, only the 5 above are cultivated. They are in the same family with eggplant, Jimson Weed, mandrake, deadly nightshade or belladonna, potato, tobacco, tomato, and petunia.
The vast bulk of the Capsaicin is located in the veins. If you remove this you take out most of the fire. Seeds should be removed as they are tough and don’t contribute to the flavor. Capsaicin is an alkaloid compound that dissolves in fats. The best thing for a burning mouth is a pat of butter, some regular sour cream, or half-and-half. Bread, water, beer, etc. won’t help.
The numbers in parentheses above are the approximate Scoville ratings. As originally devised, a solution of the pepper extract is diluted in sugar water until the "heat" is no longer detectable to a panel of (usually five) tasters; the degree of dilution gives its measure on the Scoville scale. In the case of the Habanero above, one drop of extract would have to be diluted in 300,000 drops of sugar water in order to be no longer detectable. There are 75,700 drops in a gallon of water. For comparison, pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.
Only 24 days until Opening Day
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(Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)
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