Chile Hot Facts from 'Round the World

Chile pepper-coated electrical cables?  Yep. Sumitomo Electric Industries, a large Japanese manufacturer of electric wiring recently invented a cable coating of a synthetic spice that tastes just like a hot chile pepper. Rodents, who are known to enthusiastically gnaw on cable insulation, are said to have a strong aversion to the peppers.  But stay tuned.  As all chilehead's attest, chile's addictive.  My guess is that the pesky little rodents will develop a craving for the pod and move to Hatch.

Hot crafts. Chile oil mixed with boat hull coating is said to discourage those nasty barnacles.

Eager to whittle away extra pounds? According to a University of Inchon [Korea] study, a meal embellished with hot red pepper elevated the adrenaline levels of distance runners for 30 minutes after eating. The study concluded that spicy food might boost metabolism.

Pain relief from capsaicin.  Capsaisin, the chemical that provides the chile bite, also helps to relieve pain suffered by arthritis patients. Researchers report that capsaisin, when applied topically and regularly over several weeks, reduces substance P found at nerve endings. Substance P transmits the pain signal to the brain.

Hot Habs 'n Honey.  Slice whole fresh habaneros and place in a jar of unfiltered
honey. Store in refrigerator. The honey acquires a gentle chile burn and fruity overtones. Lavish the spread on a hot toasted bagel or spoon over your favorite vanilla ice cream.

New Englanders Host Chile Roast/Hotluck. New Englanders will celebrate the chile harvest on August 29 with a chile roast and hotluck. New Mexican green chile only will be charred over charcoal.

"Pin the Pod on the Chile Plant."  Chile aficionado Lorraine Heidecker reports that wee chileheads prefer the game Pin the Pod on the Chile Plant to Pin the Tale on the Donkey. Here's how it works: Cut red and green chile pods from construction paper. Hang a poster of a chile plant on the wall. Turn blindfolded child around three times. With pod in hand, player tries to pin the pepper on marked target areas such as the plant's branch or stem. Winners receive chile-related products and items, e.g. chile cards, posters, cards, t-shirts.  This just might work at a fundraising event, also, e.g., fifty bucks for a chance to win prizes such as cruises, weekend getaways, etc.

Peaches 'n Salsa. Substitute in-season peaches for mangos in your favorite mango salsa recipe. Ladle the fruity concoction on grilled chicken (I prefer chicken breast) or fish, or use as a dip for sliced cucumbers, jicama and carrots. It's good topped on French vanilla ice cream too.

Peachy Preserves. And while fresh peaches are still plentiful, how about making up a batch of peach preserves? Ed Johnson, a chilehead from Main, shares his wife's recipe below.

Chiles and Chemo. An anonymous chilehead emailed this bit of info (and the taffy recipe below): Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine have invented a hot chile pepper candy to ease pain in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Frequently, chemotherapy causes painful mouth sores that are difficult to treat. The sugar relieves the acute chile burn but the leftover endorphins dull the effects of chemotherapy.

Sharon Johnson's Peach Preserves
3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and quartered
l/2 medium-size orange, quartered and seeded
2 Red Savina habaneros, (seeds and all)
4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup honey (the lightest, mildest you can find)

Combine peaches, sugar, and honey in a Dutch oven. Stir well. Cover
and let stand 45 minutes. Place knife blade attachment in food
processor bowl; add orange quarters and habanero chiles. Process until
finely chopped, stopping once to scrape down sides.

Place orange, habanero chiles, and an equal amount of water in a
medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10
minutes or until orange rind is tender.

Bring peach mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar
dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, 15
minutes, stirring often. Add orange mixture. Bring to a boil; cook,
uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until candy thermometer registers 221,
stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract. Skim off
foam with a metal spoon.

Quickly pour hot mixture into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch
headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on
bands. Process jars in boiling-water bath 5 minutes. Yield: 6
half-pints.

Hot Pepper Taffy Pull (adapted from the Joy of Cooking Cookbook)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a 2-qt saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup, water, cornstarch, butter and salt. Over medium heat, stir constantly till hard ball stage (256F). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pepper. When cool enough to handle, butter hands and pull until satiny and stiff. Pull into long strips, cut into 1" pieces, and wrap with wax paper.