[CH] Baby Chilehead
Jim Weller (Jim.Weller@salata.com)
27 Sep 00 08:59:22 -0800
-=> Quoting Mike Pierce to All <=-
MP> While makin sausage for the upcoming BBQ contest, I dropped a piece of
MP> one of my Tabasco chiles on the floor. Of course my 9 month old baby,
MP> Meghan, picked it up and started to munch on it. I freaked out and
MP> grabbed it out of her mouth. I was surprised that she cried only
MP> because I took it away. She didn't seem to notice any heat or pain
MP> whatsoever. Don't try this at home, but anyone else notice babies not
MP> feeling the heat?
My 23 month old grand daughter *loves* chilies. And she does feel the
heat. It all started when she was 8 months old. In a restaurant I made a
dipping sauce for my fries of 1 packet of ketchup and about 1 tablespoon
of tabasco. She stuck her fry my dip and licked it. She made a little
gasp of amazement and then had some more! There was a bead of sweat on
her forehead and a beatific smile on her face.
After doing a little research to make sure her little digestive system
could take it, her parents and I let her have modest amounts of Frank's
hot sauce. She would put it on everything. When she was about 12 months
old, she opened the fridge by herself and lugged out a one liter bottle
of Frank's and started drinking it like pop til we stopped her. She had
at least two good mouthfuls before we stopped her.
At age 14 months she plucked a cayenne off my bush and ate half of it.
Grandma panicked just like you did, grabbed it out of her mouth and
washed her mouth out with yogurt. The kid then nonchalantly ate the
rest of the pepper.
We have tried to teach her which plants she could nibble on (chives,
lettuce, parsley etc.) and which ones she should never eat (the rest).
We especially drilled into her not to even touch let alone eat the
pretty little habaneros. Well two weeks ago she sampled one. Technically
she didn't touch it; she stuck a toothpick into it and then licked the
toothpick. I didn't notice this til she came up to me with a tear in her
eye. She told me, "Too hot, mouth hurt." I cured her with a half a bun
and a dish of yogurt. But she still likes the milder chilies and most
hot sauces.
Last week she gave a guided tour of my chiles to an adult visitor who
was quite smitten with her...."See. Peppers! Dat Wellow ana (banana),
dat red cayun and dat oranch hab. DON' TOUCH!!! Toooo hot."
She likes all kinds of strong flavours. She is also partial to mustard,
horseradish, lemons (skin and all), pickled onions, smoked oysters and
roquefort cheese. A weird kid with grown up tastes.
Jim in Yellowknife