[CH] Chile Burn
Roderick Duff (4duffs@pearl.mhtc.net)
Wed, 02 Sep 1998 20:16:47 -0700
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Hello All,
Thought you might enjoy the following article from today's Wisconsin
State Journal. It seems not everyone is ready for the capsaicin when
preparing hot peppers. I've attached the file & hope it works out ok.
If not, try
http://www.madison.com/wsj/recent/september/pepper9_2.html
Enjoy!
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[Wisconsin State Journal]
Return to the
WSJ Homepage Hot stuff: Cooks discovering peppers the
painful way
Staff List
John Welsh
History of Wisconsin State Journal
WSJ
The rising popularity of homemade
How to salsa and other spicy foods
Subscribe containing hot peppers is prompting
an increase in a malady most
Return to Wisconsin cooks aren't use to pepper
madison.com burn.
''We've had about 10 calls in the
last two days,'' University Hospital
Poison Control Center's Lorna
Goshman said Tuesday. ''It starts
with a tingling sensation within an
hour and it rises in a crescendo
several hours later in an intense
burning sensation.''
The culprit is a chemical called
capsaicin, the oil-soluble active
ingredient found in hot peppers that
gives them the kick many people
desire. While rarely causing serious
injury, exposure to capsaicin can
cause long-lasting pain in the
exposed hands and fingers.
''This is something that should not
require an emergency room visit, but
it is very frustrating,'' Goshman
said. ''The elixir of time is the
only true cure.''
The local poison control center,
which is one of two in the state,
handles about 18,000 calls each year
on a variety of concerns. Staff
members there said they have fielded
a large number of pepper complaints
during August. They expect them to
continue for the next several weeks
as gardeners continue to harvest
their peppers or use store-bought
ones and combine them with homegrown
tomatoes to make salsa.
To some extent, this is a Wisconsin
thing.
''It's something we aren't used
to,'' said KT Ellenbecker, director
of the cooking school at Orange Tree
Imports, 1721 Monroe St. ''People
are discovering the world of peppers
the hard way.''
Ellenbecker said most instructors
who deal with hot peppers will
devote a portion of a class on
proper handling techniques. Wearing
gloves is one answer, but that means
the cook needs to be especially
careful handling the knife. Another
technique is to minimize the contact
you have with the pepper's inner
portion, where the oils are
released. But even experienced cooks
can be caught by the pepper's sting.
''You can cut a whole slew of
peppers and you don't feel it at
first,'' Ellenbecker said. ''But if
you aren't careful, it can be an
awful surprise.''
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