Enjoying Mexican food means eating and cooking with peppers.
It’s common to see the chipotle and jalapeno varieties these days in some Canadian cities. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one in a specialty store in Vancouver. Even the bigger chains like Safeway would have the trendy chipotle version.
The habanero-mayo is one I’ve only seen once anywhere in Mexico. This was the only size I saw them in, and that’s all you need.
First, I like these jars. They make excellent shot glasses and are great for storing smaller things like tacks, paper clips, and loose beads.
If you find this and want to add some spice to your egg salad or chicken sandwich, be careful. I tasted a bit just as a test and the level of picante made my tongue painfully numb for several minutes. In case you didn’t already know, this happy looking pepper is notoriously hot. The cheerful red, orange, yellow, or even pink habanero pepper hides a brutally high measurement on the Scoville index. This volcanic, molten magma lump of spiciness pretending to be a pepper makes the humble jalapeno cry in shame.
Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot, has some interesting medicinal and recreational uses. The endorphin rush that goes along with the painful spicy flavor is used for pain relief for some and just for crazy fun by others.
This chemical is so badass that it attacks cancer cells and clears the phlegm from your sinuses. Your metabolism will speed up just to get away from it.
Use the same precautions with habanero mayo as you would with the actual pepper in its raw form. Anyone who has suffered the pain of “jalapeno hands” will tell you that those rubber gloves are worth it no matter how stupid you feel at the time.
Just for the record, I tried all of those home remedies at that link during our Christmas Chili Cook-off. None of them worked. That was just serrano and jalapeno peppers, so imagine how painful habaneros would have been. I wasted a lot of decent rum and yogurt, too.
If you happen to be in Puerto, check out the 6-17 Minisuper next to the gym. his little bodega has been here for years and has all kinds of crazy crap.
This store looks the same as other neighborhood bodegas, but it seems to carry a wider variety of condiments and preserved food in jars and tins. A worthy place to visit in case you’re looking for capers, pickles, olives or other such goodies in Puerto Escondido.
Updating this post to include another discovery, habenero salad dressing. I saw this at a quaint cafe on Rinconada today called Latte Chocolate. Awesome sammies and amazing loose-leaf tea, by the way.
Yesterday, I said I hardly ever saw this. Now, it’s haunting me.
References:
“All the Reasons Your Hot Sauce Obsession is Good for You.” By Nicholas Knock. July 1st, 2016. Taken from https://www.thrillist.com/health/nation/health-benefits-of-hot-sauce-why-capsaicin-and-peppers-are-good-for-you
“Capaisin: Risks and Benefits.” By Manouchehr Saljoughian, PharmD, PhD, Department of Pharmacy, Alta Bates Medical Center Berkeley, California. July 20, 2009. Taken from https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/capsaicin-risks-and-benefits
Cristina in Oaxaca 