Sounds like the guy was a bird in his past life and is immune to capsaicin. T --- Dave Drum <dirty_dave@chillicooks.org> wrote: > Mexican taxi driver with extraordinary endurance > aims to become world > champion chile eater > > MEXICO CITY, Feb. 5, 2007 > By IOAN GRILLO Associated Press Writer > > (AP)For most people, even the smallest bite of a raw > chile pepper > means a flushed face and a rush for a gulp of water. > But Manuel Quiroz > can guzzle down dozens of Mexico's spiciest chilies, > rub them on his > skin and even squeeze their juice into his eyes > without so much as > blinking. > > The 54-year-old Mexico City taxi driver said > Saturday that he has made > thousands of dollars with his talent and wants to > become the world > champion chile eater. But first he needs to find an > organization that > can crown him with that title. > > "Chilies don't sting me. They don't affect me. It's > just like eating > fruit," Quiroz said at a market in the Mexican > capital. Shoppers > stared in amazement as he crunched on a habanero, > the hottest chile > pepper in a country that likes its food spicy. > > Quiroz said he discovered his talent when he was 7 > and grew up betting > people that he could eat more chilies than they > could. He never lost. > > "I'm the best. No one can rival me," he said. > > His biggest windfall came when he entered a > competition organized by a > local television station and took home the $2,000 > purse. > > Quiroz said he plans to try to get his abilities > recognized by > Guinness World Records. To his knowledge, no one in > the world can > swallow more chilies. > > "Chilies are the pride of Mexico," Quiroz said. "The > world > chile-eating champion has got to be here." > > Quiroz said he has never been examined by a doctor > to find out if > there is a medical explanation for his extraordinary > endurance to the > spice. > > "Why would I go and see a doctor?" he said. "There > is nothing wrong > with me. Eating chilies makes me feel great." > > ©MMVII The Associated Press. > > -- > ENJOY!!! > -------- > UNCLE DIRTY DAVE'S KITCHEN -- > Home of Yaaaaa Hooooo Aaahhh!!! HOT SAUCE and Hardin > Cider > > "I spent a lot of my money on beer, birds and fast > cars. The rest I > just squandered." -- George Best > > ===== Tina Brooks VP Marketing, Peppermaster Hot Sauces www.peppermaster.com Brooks Pepperfire Foods Inc. Phone: (514) 393-3430 26 St. Jean Baptiste, East Rigaud, Quebec, Canada J0P 1P0 Network with me on www.gourmetbusinessforum.com -- The premier online business community for food professionals