Re: [CH] Re: Heat

Inagaddadavida, Baby (raelsixfour@cableone.net)
Thu, 6 Sep 2001 23:30:44 -0600

At 10:29 AM -0500 9/6/01, Chad A Gard wrote:
>
>I only add a couple.  Then, to round off the burn a bit (there is a missing
>bit - that little bit right behind the tip of your tounge has thus far been
>ignored), I add cayenne powder.  I like to grind  dried cayennes in a
>little coffee grinder right before I add them.  Otherwise, I find myself
>using a lot of supermarket canned cayenne powder, and the flavor still
>isn't as good.  But, the best thing I've found about cayenne is that it
>tends to unify flavors.  I even use a bit in my non-spicy dishes, like
>sausage gravy for bisquits and gravy.  Definately not a spicy dish, but
>adding the cayenne serves to unify the flavors.

Ah Grasshopper, you've come across a bit of wisdom there indeed.  I 
was instructed in the art of the use of ground cayenne by a wee woman 
who was my boss at a vegetarian restaurant in which i worked.  We 
made soups most every day, offering at least 2, sometimes 3. 
Regardless of the make up, the design, the intent of the soup, we 
normally put 1/4 tsp into an average making of 2 quarts soup.  As you 
said, cayenne seems to have this ability to unify flavors...allows a 
melding of sorts to occur.  Mind you, this cayenne usage wasn't 
limited to soups, no, but soup-age was where I learned my lessons.

Whilst serranos are my favorite all-purpose fresh chile, cayenne is 
my favorite all-purpose ground chile...and cayennes are my second 
favorite fresh too <g>....

Mind you, the ground chile i carry w/me is of a higher caliber, and 
higher voltage...some of Brother Jim C's apple smoked chile powder 
has been a partner of mine for a number of years...will make your 
coffee smack you back in the morning, it do...

Anywho...

-- 
Peace, Hendrix, and Chiles.......
Rael64