Re: [CH] Chile as terrorist weapon
phirsch@nypl.org
Mon, 8 Oct 2007 00:10:13 -0400
Andy,
Thanks. I think I may have heard of that particular "special" dinner and
would love to partake of it. I have fond memories of the fairly well known
grill in Cambridge, Mass. (name eludes me at the moment) Which stand it's
ground on the heat and also has "Hell nights" or something in that
vicinity. Though I am not quite of the pain loving ilk of Brethren Rael64,
I do feel cheated when something merely "tastes good" but does not kick
back. I know this is like saying you are into Heavy Metal or "guts and
gore" flicks (which I'm not) but I can't help it in this area. I can't tell
you how much of my time is spent in restaurants saying "I want it hot. I
mean like you mean hot. Don't worry, I won't send it back" and then having
to ask if they can bring me the chilies, all of the chilies (not just the
sweet chili/garlic paste). I have hit the wall on a few occasions (one
Laotian place in Paris and a couple of my own culinary efforts come to
mind), but that hasn't dimmed my lust for the "hard stuff".
Not bragging or anything; just telling it like it is.
Peter Hirsch (old enough - 57 - to know better, but doesn't)
-----Andy Barnhart <awbarnhart@verizon.net> wrote: -----
>To: phirsch@nypl.org
>From: Andy Barnhart <awbarnhart@verizon.net>
>Date: 10/07/2007 06:13PM
>cc: chile-heads-digest@globalgarden.com, Jeff Porter
>, =Mark , Doug
>Barnhart , "Richard W. Stevens"
><richstev@erols.com>, RisaG <radiorlg@yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: [CH] Chile as terrorist weapon
>
>Peter,
>
>I noted your self-proclaimed immoderate lurker category, so you might
>
>appreciate this little story.
> -- Your article reminds me of the Wai-Wai Fire Noodles of a few
>years
>back.
>
>The Bangkok Bistro (www.bangkokbistrodc.com/location), a rather
>authentic Thai
>restaurant in Georgetown, DC, held a couple of special dinners for
>chileheads (only).
>
>Normal Menu
>-------------
>Thiner normal menu had many items with zero chiles (which could be a
>little hot).
>There were several dishes marked with one chile - these might be too
>hot
>for some of the Moderate Corps.
>There were a few dishes with two chiles - these had *serious* heat.
>There were even a couple dishes with three chiles!
>
> Now, one must understand these are not Chinese chili ratings,
>these
>are Thai-level ratings.
> IMHO, a rating of one of these Thai chiles somewhat exceeds three
>
>Chinese chili ratings.
> And two Thai chiles is beyond the capability and comprehension of
>
>nearly any Chinese
> (American) kitchen - even pure Chinese chile oil is not this hot.
>
>One is given a polite "interrogation" if one attempts to order a
>three-chile dish.
>
>CH Dinner Menu
>-----------------
>This was a multi-course dinner. Although there were some "milder"
>appetizers, it basically
>started with three-chile rated items. It then proceeded to the
>four-chile rated items. These items
>are not on the normal menu, and are not normally available. My
>eloquence is insufficient to
>describe the impact these four-chile items. -- However, about 1/3 of
>
>the way through the dinner,
>there was introduced -- for real -- a FIVE-CHILE side dish, the
>
> Wai-Wai Fire Noodles.
>
>At first taste, I seriously wondered "Why -- oh, Why,Why am I even
>attempting to eat this!".
>However, I could not stop, but could only nibble some from
>time-to-time.
>By the end of the
>dinner, I did manage to consume almost all.
>
>Now, some of you out there might think I am exaggerating, but those
>of
>you who know me are
>aware that, well, I can tend a bit to the extreme. If anyone who was
>at
>one of these dinners is
>tuned in, please do chime in.
>
>AndyB
>
>phirsch@nypl.org wrote:
>
>>>From today's NY Times:
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/world/europe/04briefs-chili.html
>>Britain: Spicy and Terror-Inducing
>>
>>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
>>Published: October 4, 2007
>>
>>A Thai restaurant cooking up a big pot of bird’s eye chili brought
>road
>>closures and evacuations in the Soho area of London after passers-by
>>complained that a noxious chemical was burning their throats and the
>London
>>Fire Brigade sent a chemical response team, a police spokesman said.
>>Firefighters closed off roads, sealed buildings and donned special
>>breathing masks to ferret out the source of the acrid smell, The
>Times of
>>London reported. Smashing down the door of the suspected source —
>the
>>restaurant — they emerged carrying a pot containing about nine
>pounds of
>>bird’s eye chilies that had been left roasting. The restaurant owner
>said
>>it was for a batch of nam prik pao, a Thai chili paste. There were
>no
>>arrests. “As far as I’m aware, it’s not a criminal offense to cook
>very
>>strong chili,” the police spokesman said.
>>
>>
>>Peter Hirsch
>>(immoderate lurker)
>>