Monday, March 29, 2010.....
I'm talking about the pepper, not what may happen during an intimate moment between 2 people. That could be a Thursday TMI story for LiLu, but I'm keeping my story clean and discussing the hot killer pepper which I now officially hate!
Hate is not a strong enough emotion to describe my run-in with the stupid pepper on Saturday. In my quest to try out all the Cooking Light recipes in the Jan/Feb 2010 magazine, I worked with a Scotch Bonnet pepper for the first time.
It's small, I'm large, AND yet, it kicked my ass more than my trainer ever did.
Sure, I got pepper juice on my fingers and immediately touched my eye liked an idgit. I broke Rule #1:
While handling hot peppers never touch eye, mouth or any open scratch until hands have been thoroughly washed (wow, I sounded like a 1950's ad geared towards kitchen safety for housewives).
I own my stupidity on breaking Rule #1, but you would think that after washing your hands all the pepper juice would be gone. Nope. I had the hidden cut, the cut the size of a paper cut or from a small knife while chopping positioned under my nail. The one where pepper juice could make it's way in to, but soap couldn't.
All night, burning sensation. All night scrubbing hands. All night cursing the peppers -- not only because my hands burned, but because it was a component in probably the worst dish I've tasted in ions. A dish requiring so much mincing and chopping items into julienne strips that it pushed this dish on a scale of 1 to 5 to a negative 4 (-4).
Taste ranked the dish at "0", but the prep time pushed that sucky dish down 4 more points.
I went to bed, shaking my hand (like that would stop the burning sensation) and finally realized this damn pepper beat me.
I washed my hands one last time and took aspirin. It worked, and I learned my lesson: Scotch Bonnet peppers are NOT as cute as they appear.
25 comments:
Must.Use.Gloves. Which almost doesn't seem right. You're going to eat this food, but don't dare touch it! I stay away from the bonnet, but I will be growing four new medium/hot peppers next month.
If you don't have gloves, put you hand in a plastic sandwich bag while handling and cutting a hot pepper. I like medium hot peppers but have been known to handle some hot ones. Good luck next time. How did the recipe turn out?
they should come with a serious warming...Caution: you'll regret this purchase
Oh man, I am the queen of breaking Rule #1 of pepper care and maintenance. I swear I only ever touch my eyes when I actively have jalapeno juice on my hands. Stupid stupid stupid!
Well, that's not true. I've also accidentally touched my eyes right after putting on a nicotine patch, which has the same effect (oh the agony!) with a side bonus of people looking at you funny when you say, "Oh, I'm just crying because I rubbed pure nicotine into my eye!"
idgit!!!!!!
I thought only B and I used that word! :-)
Stereos & Souffles - It doesn't seem right and I don't have them in the kitchen. Just easier to never buy again.
TechnoBabe - plastic bag? I've heard of people using them for cooking, but logistically, it would drive me mad. The recipe sucked! We rated it -4 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Unknown Blogger - I agree.
TKOG - Okay, the nicotine patch comment made me laugh. Sorry for the pain, but you have to put that on every day and I can just imagine myself after a week of doing it over & over and cursing in the mirror.
LiLu - B is a BRILLIANT man! I bet you'll have an influx of Scotch Bonnet stories this Thursday...
How lucky you were than you were not touching your womanly parts then too!
Secretia
Ow! Ow! Ow! I think my mum had to go to the ER once because she accidentally touched her eye while chopping a really hot pepper.
Ouch!!!
I grow a variety of hot peppers because I love homemade salsa. You'd think after year one I would have learned my lesson about rule #1, but no. I'm a habitual rule breaker. Don't touch your lips either. You know, just for future reference.
♥Spot
I've had my fair share of run ins with scotch bonnets. They definitely are not easy to work with.
Here's another tip: When marinating using these peppers, the longer you have them in the marinade the hotter it becomes.
There is a whole story behind that one.
this is why I call for reservations. I'll stick to bell peppers. aww. Hope your cut feels better!!!
and that is why i do not experiment in the kitchen! anything more than a simple recipe with real basic ingredients and i'm in trouble
I loved the codfish cake tag. Still love that dish with lots of butter. No wonder I have a weight problem.
Um, there's one other place you should keep your fingers away from. Also someone else's mouth after eating peppers. I'll stop now.
OH MY ...I am so sorry I like spicy but this is scary
Oh no!!!!!!!!!! sorry for the burn. Peppers are not to be f'ed with.
I have never heard of scotch bonnet peppers...but I've been warned thank you!
Oh man I haven't ever worked with them, but if I ever do it's all about the gloves!
oh...yeah...how about accidentally gluing your eye lid with nail glue? not food but let me tell you equally hysteric...for those not involved...believe me...I know!
Last night I cut up 6 Scotch Bonnet peppers for a dinner meal with friends, and me hand has never felt like it is on fire so bad, I did not sleep a wink, having to keep my hand in ice water all night, and it is now 12 hours later and i'm just now starting to feel the burning recede with just heavy hot tingling. This pepper is brutal!
Gotta say though, that this is such a tasty pepper and crucial to certain spicy Carribbean dishes. But I WILL wear gloves every time now. I soaked my hand in honey, baking soda, olive oil, ice water and blueberries and honestly, nothing helped at all, plus lost a night of sleep and writhed in pain. It's like taking a torch to your hand until it is engulfed...for 12 hours. Sux.
This is an interesting post. It was worth visiting your blog. Hope to visit again.
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this is why I call for reservations. I'll stick to bell peppers. aww. Hope your cut feels better!!! Keep sharing Information.
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I touched these peppers and then went to the bathroom and the juice that transferred onto the toilet paper completely burned my "lady parts". I spent 30 minutes in a tub of cold water with my fiancé dabbing my red swollen face and neck (which I also touched) with lime juice.
Will never approach peppers again without the proper precautions. Still burning hours later.
One day my friend came into school with a small bag filled with scotch bonnets......I was completely oblivious to their power, regrettably, i rubbed my eyes after having contact with the juice.It was the worst pain i have ever felt and i ever will experience. The worst part though was the fear of going blind because i literally could not open my eyes for 10-15 minutes and i think i learnt an important life lesson.....
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