[CH] "Warning -- Hot Chiles Ahead!"
Myron Menaker (myronm@bellsouth.net)
Sat, 04 Nov 2000 13:53:23 -0500
"If that chile's a little too hot to handle, know what to do:"
By Sandy Szwarc / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Whether you're a chile aficionado or a recent convert, sooner or
later
you're going to get burned. And this is a perilous season for chile
burns, because the green chiles from New Mexico this year are hotter
than ever.
Chuy's manager Eduardo Tames explains that this summer's drought in
the Southwest created the peppery fireballs. And while there are a
dozen varieties of New Mexico chiles, the heat - even within the same
variety of pepper - is unpredictable. Where the chiles are grown,
even
from field to field, as well as the temperatures and rainfall during
the growing season, all play a role.
According to chile expert Dr. Paul Bosland, director of the
International Chile Institute and professor of agronomy and
horticulture at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, "water
stress appears to be the biggest factor in increasing pungency."
And this year's drought was one of the worst on record. During
particularly dry years in New Mexico, I've purchased green chiles
with
skull and crossbones painted on the burlap bags - a warning from the
field pickers. Those chiles permanently dispelled any notion that all
New Mexico chiles are mild. I still have some in the freezer to serve
skeptics.
In New Mexico, desperate calls pour into doctor's offices, nurse
advice lines and even emergency rooms within hours of the arrival of
the first trucks loaded with fresh green chiles. As a nurse there for
20 years, I recall working on staffs that reviewed chile triage in
anticipation of the chile epidemic.
Chiles are an obsession among New Mexicans, who consume more per
capita than residents of any other state. During the September and
October harvest, it isn't unusual for residents to roast and peel 40
pounds apiece to freeze for a yearlong supply. Even New Mexico's
chile
veterans occasionally allow their eagerness for fresh roasted chiles
to impair judgment and will subsequently suffer chile burns to their
skin and eyes.
Chris Keyes, a toxicologist with Parkland Hospital, reports that the
North Texas Poison Center Hotline rarely gets chile burn calls, but
the intensity of this year's crop may change that.
If you do like your chiles, here's some of the best advice we gave in
New Mexico for chile burns.
o Chile safety starts with remembering that chiles are hot. What
makes
them hot is a volatile oil called capsaicin, which is concentrated
around the stems and inner membranes. The seeds pick up that heat,
too.
o Any time you handle a chile, these oils can burn your skin and
delicate membranes. So, protect yourself by wearing rubber gloves.
Or,
do as New Mexico natives do and rub your hands with grease or
shortening before handling chiles; this acts as a barrier.
o Avoid breathing in the fumes while roasting chiles, or you could
burn your airway.
o Throughout the handling process, avoid touching your face, lips,
eyes and other delicate body parts.
Chile burns are rarely fatal, just irritating. First aid starts with
washing your hands vigorously with plenty of soap and warm water to
remove chile residue. If your hands are on fire, plop them in a bowl
of chilled vegetable oil (just add ice to the oil) and let them soak
until the burning dissipates. Analgesics may also help.
"If you've touched your eyes," Mr. Keyes says, "the best treatment is
time, as the burning should go away in 5 to 30 minutes. If it
doesn't,
it could indicate another problem, such as an infection." He and
staffers at the University of New Mexico Poison Control Hotline say
that if the pain is serious or persists - or if you experience vision
changes, swelling, unusual drainage from your eyes or other
complications - seek immediate medical attention.
And even if you forgo processing your own chiles, you're still
vulnerable at the dining table.
"The best thing to cool the chile burn if you've taken a bite of
something too hot is sugar or a milk product," says Blue Mesa
restaurant owner Liz Baron. Her first line of defense is a sugar
packet on the table. "Especially with children, we'll immediately
tear
one open and have them lick it up."
Sweet margaritas may work for grown-ups, she says, but whether it's
the sugar or the numbing alcohol is anyone's guess.
Mr. Tames tells Chuy's patrons to drink cold milk or any dairy
product
to quell the heat. "The alkalines and fats in the milk help
neutralize
the acids and oils in the chiles," he says.
Among New Mexicans, antidotes abound in folklore. Eating dairy
products and something starchy are the most popular remedies. That's
why you'll find a dollop of sour cream and tortillas, sopapillas,
potatoes or rice often served alongside a chile meal. Milk shakes and
ice cream sundaes are popular desserts at many New Mexican
restaurants. Another old trick is to lick salt, which seems to dull
the heat right away.
No matter what you do, the pain takes time to subside. The worst
thing
you can do is to drink water, because it only spreads the inferno.
And
beer and alcohol only increase your mouth's ability to absorb the
fire, making it even hotter. Of course, after a few margaritas, you
might not notice.
Sandy Szwarc is the author of Real New Mexico Chile: An Insider's
Guide to Cooking with Chile.
Source:
http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/food/198614_chile_25tas.html
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Myron Menaker Daytona Beach FL USA
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