Albarracin Week 8- Spicy Food

 The history of spicy food, hot peppers, and hot sauce can all be traced back to the indigenous routes of the old world.   It was during the Colombian exchange that Columbus was introduced to chili peppers, its effects on people, and its contributions to different dishes.  Realizing this finding would be a gold mine, Columbus set out to harvest as much of chili peppers and powder as possible for a grand profit.  As a result, the old world was introduced to spicy.  Although many sources argue that ancient civilization in Europe also experimented with spicy dishes, spice as the modern world knows it today originated from the Aztec empire.  In fact the word chili derives from chīli in Nahuatl(aztec language).  

The uses for spice have carried depending on the region of the world.  For the Aztecs, chili peppers could be finely dried and minced into a powder which was added to many dishes, almost exclusively amongst the higher class of citizens.  It added an extra kick which only the powerful were worthy of trying.  The Aztecs famously added chili powder to a beverage, chocolate.  Rather than sweeten up their drink with sugar, they preferred a spicy bitter drink.  In the old world, specially in dry and hot climates, spice was often utilized to mask the taste of meat which rapidly rotted.  It was believed that the spice would protect the consumer of the possible illnesses lurking within the rotting flesh, however that has proven to be false.  It kept people native to mountains warm during the harsh winters, and was said to boost life energy according to Himalayan belief.

Now, in the modern world, spice is around every corner.  Hot sauce, chili, and hot peppers are providing flavor, challenge, and even danger to consenting consumers.  What was once a delicacy exclusive to the higher class, to a method of preserving or boosting health,  has now become a thrill and staple for different cultures and willing eaters.  The history and flavor of spicy food still burns bright, and in fact, the delivery of spice, be it a local chili, scorching hot chicken wings, molten hot sauces, or even engineered peppers still reflect the routes to which each of these innovations are native.  Every region of the world has its own take on spicy and how to deliver it to people.  To get even crazier, people are consuming spicy to feel pain, or to overcome it.  Peppers like the Carolina Reaper, or the ghost pepper, or even Pepper X(said to be hotter than the Carolina Reaper) are prime examples of how humans have pushed the agenda of eating spicy food.  

This is the Carolina Reaper, said to be the hottest pepper on earth, it’s 100x hotter than a Jalapeño