FLAME WARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

[picky]

Hello all: Sorry for the delay in my replies. The family and I have been up at the lake for the last week; away from phones, computers and the Internet. Although, it was very relaxing, it's actually great to be back.

Tom Adams: I think the photo you were looking for was removed as it was embedded along with a post that had some hot sauce bottle pictures whose labels contained some vulgarities.

thebes: Yeah, "Scotch Bonnets" (or Bahamian, Bahama Mama, Jamaican Hot or Martinique Pepper) are very hot and are closely related to habanero peppers, which are actually hotter. Red Savina Hababeros were once thought to be the hottest pepper in the world. However, there are several others that are hotter with the hottest-known being the Tepin, according to my sources. As for the methane around our house, thewife complains about it constantly. The Frank's Hot Sauce you mention is great slathered all over pizza. I've discovered that it has a lot better flavor that Tabasco, which now seems to have too much vinegar in it for me. I call Tabasco "baby food", as I can now drink it straight from the bottle. My wife says it's because I have burned-off all of my tastebuds. -Not so!

Champagne taste beer budget: You sir, are more brave than I. My Blair's is staying right where it is; in its wax-sealed bottle, thank you very much!

I have several varieities of Blair's including "Sudden Death" and "After Death". And, as for your link to "Mo-Hotta", I have 3 or 4 different flavors of their sauce. Great story about your wife (poor lady). Yes, Dave's is an additive, not a picante! YEOWCH! I have a lot more pepper "battle stories" but I can't tell them here because they involve my hunting buddies at deer camp.

colterphoto1: Yes, it has been my experience too, that any time I make my own salsa, even with jalapenos, it's best to turn on the stove vent fan to "High", else you'll need a respirator and gallon of Visine! The chili fumes will fill the whole house. I garden, too and I also grown my own cilantro to add to my homemade pico de gallo to use on fajitas and other Mexican foods. I have discovered that if I plant my jalapeno plants right next to my habanero plants, the cross pollenation that occurs from the bees mixing the pollen between the jalapenos and habaneros tends to "super-charge" the jalapenos and make them at least twice as hot as they normally are!

Marvel: I agree that the Tabasco green jalapeno sauce is awesome on just about everything. It adds a wonderful flavor without the heat. If you like the Tabasco brand, please do yourself a favor and try the new green jalapeno sauce that is now put out by Emeril's (the TV chef). It seems to be widely available and I feel it is even better than the Tabasco-brand. Melinda's puts one out too as do many other companies. It's fun to experiment. Sauce dosen't HAVE to be hot to be good....but it helps!

If hot sauce gets too hot for you, try either raw carrots or cottage cheese to help cut the burn. Forget the water, milk or bread; they don't help much.

[Tom Adams]

Hey Picky - Have you ever tried West Indies Creole? It's got a great flavor and a decent amount of heat. Wonderful to cook with. Especially in Collard Greens.

As for the Jalapeno sauces....I too love the flavor, but I got a real problem with that green color. When you put that stuff on a pizza, it makes the pizza turn a yuckie color! Blech.

Tom

[picky]

Tom: Although I have no W.I. Creole in my collection, I believe I have sampled some while down in the West Indies (St. Maarten) at a restaurant on the French side (other side is Dutch) and you're right; It is good stuff!

As for the green sauce, if you think it looks horrible on pizza, then try it on EGGS some time! It makes them look ROTTEN (green eggs)! But the taste is great. Also, next time you scramble-up some eggs or make an omelet, try a couple of dashes of any Chipotle sauce. It'll add a nice "smoky" quality (very little heat) to them. It's great!