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In anticipation of Cinco de Mayo, let’s educate ourselves more about the various chile peppers found at farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

Chile peppers have a complexity almost comparable to grapes used in wine making. One can learn to distinguish a variety of flavors and aromas. Chile peppers are used around the world to enhance local favorites. And in Las Cruces, New Mexico there is even a non-profit scientific Chile Pepper institute, part of the University, which is devoted to everything peppers….from growing disease resistant plants to increasing yields and enhancing the flavors of various peppers. Chile peppers are an important part of numerous cuisines whether they are used as a vegetable, spice or ornamental or medicinal plant.

In anticipation of Cinco de Mayo in a few weeks, let’s educate ourselves more about the various chili peppers used in Mexican food.

Chili peppers are frequently divided into three distinct groupings: bell peppers, sweet peppers, and hot peppers.

Hot Chili Pepper Scoville Scale

Of the hot chili peppers, the substance primarily bringing the heat or intensity is called capsaicin.  Capsaicin not only heats up peppers, but it also is the prime ingredient in pepper spray, which is currently used for self-defense.  Scientists have actually measured the heat of chile peppers using what is called a Scoville heat unit. In 2011, the Guinness Book of Records awarded the title of world hottest chile pepper to the Trinidad Butch T pepper when it tested 1,463,700 SHU (SHU = Scoville heat units), but in February of 2012, the Moruga Scorpion pepper unseated the reining champion to claim the world’s hottest title with a Scoville heat unit rating of 2,009,231 SHU. Now that’s a hot pepper!

In anticipation of Cinco de Mayo next month, let’s educate ourselves about the various chile peppers used to give Mexican food a kick.

Chile peppers have been used as flavorings for local foods for thousands of years. It is thought that chile peppers were among the first self-pollinating cultivated crops grown in Central and South America. As history tells, Columbus was one of the first Europeans to discover the taste of the chile pepper and he thought it had a spicy hot taste similar to the black or white European pepper. As the spice trade flourished and soon after Columbus’s travels, chile peppers were found in local cuisines throughout the world…from Mexico to the Philippines, India, China, Korea, Japan through Central Asia to Turkey and Hungary and other European countries. In Hungary, the chile pepper is known as paprika.

Follow this simple "different types of salt" guide to host your very own salt tasting with a few interested friends.  You’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn!

FLEUR de SEL

Translated as  “Flower of Salt,” Fleur de Sel is an unrefined, hand-harvested sea salt found in France.  This creamy white salt is very moist and does not dissolve when sprinkled on food.  “Fleur de Sel is best used as a finishing salt so you can enjoy the crunchy texture,” says Davis.  Expect strong sea and mineral flavors; perfect on seafood and vegetables or my favorite use is atop chocolate caramels.
Product Recommendation: Fleur de Sel de Guerande, “The Queen”. ($9.00/3.25 oz. jar)

Salt Varieties

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous substances in existence.  It is reliably found on most every restaurant table, spice rack and recipe ingredient list we come across each day.  It has literally changed the course of history, motivating both industrious pioneers and exhausted soldiers with the promise of its sustaining potential. Even the word “salt” has found its way into our modern vernacular – a good person is “salt of the earth,” a valued worker is “worth their salt.” And the reason for its ubiquity is as simple as the chemical compound itself – salt is an essential mineral for all animal life and is one of our most basic human tastes.  We humans learned quickly that we not only need salt for the health of our bodies, but we also like the way it tastes, as well.

This is part two of my favorite Valentine’s Day chocolates.

Julia Baker Confections

Juliabakerconfections.com; 480.699.4017

Julia, culinary artist and confectioner, calls Scottsdale home.  Her creations are works of art, as pretty to see, as they are to eat.  And her packaging is, as they say, icing on the cake!  And cakes are one of Julia’s many creations, as well as boxed chocolates, chocolate bars and corporate gifts.  And the Connoisseur’s Club makes sure you can
enjoy her chocolate delivered to your door month after month.

Daniel Peter (Peter’s Chocolate) invented milk chocolate in 1867 in Switzerland.  The Europeans have always consumed more chocolates than Americans but it wasn’t until a study came out in 2010 that said eating a small amount of dark chocolate could be beneficial to your heart.  Chocolate is a good source of antioxidants and can help lower your blood pressure. And dark chocolate is healthier than milk because it has less added sugar. That is all a lot of us had to hear.

This month I will share some of my favorite chocolate companies as Valentine’s Day in February is the perfect time of the year to treat yourself or someone else to first-rate chocolates.

Now that the holidays are behind us (but hopefully not on your behind), it is time to look ahead to a healthy and happy 2012.

Let’s review some basic health issues that I try to follow.

1. Watch What You Eat 

Even thought statistics say we only gain about a pound during the holiday season, if you over indulged and ate more, now is the time to cut back. A good rule is to eat more leafy greens, whole grains, and vegetables, and to eat fewer animal products and processed foods.  Cut back on alcohol, snack foods, refined carbs and sweets.

• This month I’ve researched holiday gift ideas for foodies.  The NASFT (National Association of Specialty Food Trade) says the top three gift categories are chocolate, coffee and tea.  But I have lots more.

The companies below sell online, offer gift certificates or gift cards and ship.  But don’t wait until the last minute to order.  Some of the companies are small and might run out of product.  Don’t be disappointed.

Some food, some wine and some travel make up my bucket list.  I have accomplished a few, a few come from other people’s suggestions but they are all things near and dear to my heart.

1. Dine at the French Laundry in Yountville, California, and Per Se in New York City.  Both are owned by Thomas Keller and are considered two of the best restaurants in the world.  Although quite expensive, these multiple course meals make for a very special evening.

Do the holidays have you intimidated with all of the baking?  Did you know that making a pumpkin pie is one of the easiest desserts you can make?  If you can measure ingredients, turn on the stove, and stir, you can make a pumpkin pie.  If you haven't tried making pumpkin pie before, I would encourage you to try rolling up your sleeves and make your own homemade pumpkin pie.  Now, if you have never made your own pie crust before there are lots of options.  There are frozen crusts you can choose from, or even a refrigerated pie crust will do.  Either way, you can try preparing you own homemade pumpkin pie this year.

Everyone’s tastes are different when it comes to spices.  I much prefer to use fresh ingredients, whenever possible, so you won’t see basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary or dill on my list, as I can usually buy them at most grocery stores. I’ve also included a few extracts I often use.