Fun & Learning

Sure it’s easy to say that a ghost pepper (Bhut Jolokia) is around 1,000,000 Scoville heat units, but what does that mean in reality? How hot is a ghost pepper? What does a million SHU look like when eaten?

Luckily, there’s YouTube and a whole bunch of extreme eaters out there. Lots of people have tested their taste buds against one of the hottest peppers in the world in either chili pepper dares, hot pepper contests, or via a ghost pepper prank. And they’ve been good enough to record these moments on video for all to see.

So how hot is a ghost pepper? Take a look at these three ghost pepper videos which show the slow extreme heat in action. As you’ll see, eating Bhut Jolokia fresh is NOT something to try at home. Use it in moderation, or better yet, stick to the ghost pepper hot sauces which typically dilute the spice, if only slightly.

Read more

The health benefits of hot peppers are one of the best things about chilies. And it’s all due to the one compound in chili that gives them their heat: capsaicin. As far as natural pain killers go, capsaicin is one of the best out there, especially for arthritis and general pain management. But there are capsaicin products out there that can help relieve headaches as well.

If you’re looking for natural pain killers and capsaicin interests you, the following three products should definitely be on your radar. Each helps with natural pain management in a different way.

Read more

Every grocery store carries its red crushed pepper flakes staple, but what about different varieties of chili flakes? Chances are you won’t find anything else.

But there’s a whole wide world of chili flakes out there that really run the gamut from mild to spicy on the Scoville scale. If you love chili peppers, you’ll want to check some of these hard to find options out – all available online. They’ve got big flavor and (some) big heat. They’re perfect additions for your cupboard, and terrific ingredients for dips, barbecue rubs, pizza, snacks, Asian dishes, Mexican dishes, and more.

Read more

Ghost peppers (otherwise known as Bhut Jolokia or Naga Jolokia) are some of the hottest peppers in the world. And a ghost pepper hot sauce? Well you can bet that’s going to follow suit. They are popular choices for their intense heat, but underlying that is a pretty flavorful pepper. So you may be picking up a bottle of ghost pepper hot sauce on a dare (or as a collector’s item), just don’t be surprised if you start using it more than you imagined. Remember, though, a little goes a long way when it comes to these extreme hot sauces. Approach with respect and dilute in foods as necessary.

Below are five of the best options you’ll find out there. Each has a distinction all its own and a load of positive reviews. Check them out.

Read more

There’s just something about spicy and sweet. When together in a food, you’ve got something so complex, so teasing to your taste buds, that you can’t help but smile. That’s hot pepper jelly. It’s got the sweet fruit base, but within lies a little kick, sometimes a big kick to be honest. They are two different tastes that when placed together just work with all sorts of snacks from crackers to cheeses and sliced fruits.

Hot pepper jelly is a popular artisanal product. You can find lots of homemade, small batch options out there that just taste like heaven. You may be able to find them at a local farmer’s market, but if you can’t there are a many home-style hot pepper jellies available online. Below are five of our favorite that have that made from scratch flair.

Read more