It's been a hot summer here. Once again yesterday we were sweltering in the nineties with commensurate humidity. So what better time to begin reading a book entitled Hot Sauce! ? In the introduction it touts all the virtues of the flame inducing condiment that we all have a love/hate relationship with.
Author Jennifer Trainer Thompson, the proclaimed "Queen of Hot" by the Associated Press, asserts that hot sauces are incredibly good for us, speeding up metabolism, aiding digestion, and preventing blood clots. She also states that they are a good source of potassium and are dense in Vitamins A, B, C and E, flavonoids, and iron, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. In pre-Columbian times, Native Americans used chiles to help with childbirth, coughs, ear infections and sore throats. Chiles were so precious in Peru that pods were exchanged as currency as late at the 1950s.
And she goes on to say, "Hot sauces also feel good. Like sex and running marathons, chiles can induce a radiant sense of well being. the source of this physiological reaction is the capsaicin, a chemical produced at the stem end of the chile's placenta. As capsaisin travels from the chile's inner sanctum to your own, it triggers a series of chemical events: First the chemical excites the pain-detecting nerves in your mouth, nose, and throat; thus awakened, they dispatch a pain messenger to the brain. The brain, in turn, releases natural painkillers called endorphins, which block the burning attack and trigger a rush of pleasurable relief."
She concludes her introduction with these words, "Hot sauces have a devoted following. They make you laugh. They are great-tasting and good for you. They're versatile and a bit devilish. A dramatic culinary gesture, they are soulful, jazzy, and addictive.
I can't wait to read more!
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