StaplesThere was the mention of having a pantry in another thread. The thread reminded me of certain items I always keep on hand. For lack...
Staples 3771Dog3 I buy canned tomatoes frequently and may have extras from time to time but usually just buy them when I need them. Not really a staple...
Sorry about that - it doesn't do that when you pick it up directly from a google search for some reason, so I had no clue until a minute ago!
Here it is!:
Frying sauces from outer spice
By James Langton New York
"We live in an extreme world," says Blair Lazar, a hot sauce creator. "And I make extreme foods."
Mr Lazar is the creator of the hottest spice in the world, an ultra-refined version of chilli powder so fiery that customers must sign a waiver absolving him of any liability if they are foolish enough to try it. Locked in a sealed flask, Mr Lazar's mouth-blistering concoction is pure capsaicin - the chemical that gives habanero and jalapeno peppers their thermonuclear heat.
His "16 Million Reserve", which is released to the public this week, is the holy grail of hot sauces, the hottest that chemistry can create.
It is 30 times hotter than the spiciest pepper, the red savina from Mexico, and 8000 times stronger than Tabasco sauce.
To put the tiniest speck on the tip of your tongue is to experience "pure heat", Mr Lazar says.
Although capsaicin does not actually burn - it fools your brain into thinking that you are in pain by stimulating nerve endings in your mouth - some medical experts believe that it could kill an asthmatic or badly affect someone who touched his eyes or other sensitive parts of the anatomy.
Mr Lazar has trained his palate to endure the sensation, but he remembers the moment he dared to taste his "16 Million Reserve".
Staples 3772What does everyone else keep on hand all of the time? Too numerous to be accurate: Oatmeal ( 4 types) Cold cereal ( 3 to 4) Crackers (5 types...
"The pain was exquisite," he said. "It was like having your tongue hit with a hammer. Man, it hurt. My tongue swelled up and it hurt like hell for days." Each of the 999 limited-edition bottles, priced at $US199 ($A265), contains just a few crystals.
But the powder is so strong that Mr Lazar says it would have to be dissolved in thousands of litres of water before it could no longer be tasted.
His career as a hot sauce creator began when he found that the best way to clear drunks out of his seaside bar was to give them free chicken wings dipped in an eye-watering home-made hot sauce.
Now he runs Extreme Foods in New Jersey, selling his existing range, including "Mega rest" and "Jersey rest", the latter, according to Mr Lazar, being the world's hottest usable condiment.
It takes several tonnes of fresh peppers to produce a kilogram of capsaicin for the 16 Million Reserve, and the work takes months.
Buyers have to sign a disclaimer warning that any handling must be under a controlled environment, using protective gloves and safety eye wear.
"It shouldn't be used for flavour," says Mr Lazar. "The only function is its heat value."
- Telegraph
Hope that helps!
',;~}~
Shaun aRe -- Life is the dream you wake up to.
