Eat Arkansas

A number of years ago, while at a Chili-Cookoff competition, I learned that for those that may suffer from one of those 'over-heated' experiences, try eating a pice of dark chocloate. The cocoa oil helps neutralize the 'heat'. This also work's to help cool off a bowl of overly spicy chili or other food. The flavors of the Chili are not adversely impacted by the addition of the Chocolate.

Good advice there, Wellwood.

When I was stationed at Checkpoint Alpha in West Germany, I was invited by my Brit colleagues to their Sunday brunch after church. They promised that their Indonesian chef always put out an excellent spread.

We sat around the table chatting and drinking gin and tonic for a while, and at last the curry arrived. They warned me it was hot, but I, being young, brash and raised eating Mexican food, I said "Fear not" and dug in.

O!M!G! The little bit of warm g & t left in my glass only seemed to make it worse. At last someone pointed out the bananas in the middle of table, which actually seemed to work to assuage the fire in my mouth and throat. I don't know what was in the curry, but at least I was able to finish my meal, in TINY bites and with lots of bananas, raisins and cashews.

I'm told avocado has a similar effect.

Or a big ol' glass of milk, a bite of ice cream, or any fat to which the capsaicin can cling as it goes down your goozle.

I always heard the acid in the peppers was neutalized by milk, a base.

I suggest BB do a little America's Test Kitchen action and tell us what's what once and for all.