Rik
09-05-2005, 07:42 PM
Frying sauces from outer spice (http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Frying-sauces-from-outer-spice/2005/05/08/1115491044240.html)
By James Langton
New York
May 9, 2005
"We live in an extreme world," says Blair Lazar, a hot sauce creator. "And I make extreme foods."
Mr Lazar is the creator of the hottest spice in the world, an ultra-refined version of chilli powder so fiery that customers must sign a waiver absolving him of any liability if they are foolish enough to try it. Locked in a sealed flask, Mr Lazar's mouth-blistering concoction is pure capsaicin - the chemical that gives habanero and jalapeno peppers their thermonuclear heat.
His "16 Million Reserve", which is released to the public this week, is the holy grail of hot sauces, the hottest that chemistry can create.
It is 30 times hotter than the spiciest pepper, the red savina from Mexico, and 8000 times stronger than Tabasco sauce.
To put the tiniest speck on the tip of your tongue is to experience "pure heat", Mr Lazar says.
Although capsaicin does not actually burn - it fools your brain into thinking that you are in pain by stimulating nerve endings in your mouth - some medical experts believe that it could kill an asthmatic or badly affect someone who touched his eyes or other sensitive parts of the anatomy.
Mr Lazar has trained his palate to endure the sensation, but he remembers the moment he dared to taste his "16 Million Reserve".
"The pain was exquisite," he said. "It was like having your tongue hit with a hammer. Man, it hurt. My tongue swelled up and it hurt like hell for days." Each of the 999 limited-edition bottles, priced at $US199 ($A265), contains just a few crystals.
But the powder is so strong that Mr Lazar says it would have to be dissolved in thousands of litres of water before it could no longer be tasted.
His career as a hot sauce creator began when he found that the best way to clear drunks out of his seaside bar was to give them free chicken wings dipped in an eye-watering home-made hot sauce.
Now he runs Extreme Foods in New Jersey, selling his existing range, including "Mega Death" and "Jersey Death", the latter, according to Mr Lazar, being the world's hottest usable condiment.
It takes several tonnes of fresh peppers to produce a kilogram of capsaicin for the 16 Million Reserve, and the work takes months.
Buyers have to sign a disclaimer warning that any handling must be under a controlled environment, using protective gloves and safety eye wear.
"It shouldn't be used for flavour," says Mr Lazar. "The only function is its heat value."
Hmm, I'm a fan of chilli, but at the same time I still have a bit of self-preservation. This would be one of those things that would definately be interesting to experience, but I wouldn't want to imagine the pain you'd go through as it goes through you :eek:
By James Langton
New York
May 9, 2005
"We live in an extreme world," says Blair Lazar, a hot sauce creator. "And I make extreme foods."
Mr Lazar is the creator of the hottest spice in the world, an ultra-refined version of chilli powder so fiery that customers must sign a waiver absolving him of any liability if they are foolish enough to try it. Locked in a sealed flask, Mr Lazar's mouth-blistering concoction is pure capsaicin - the chemical that gives habanero and jalapeno peppers their thermonuclear heat.
His "16 Million Reserve", which is released to the public this week, is the holy grail of hot sauces, the hottest that chemistry can create.
It is 30 times hotter than the spiciest pepper, the red savina from Mexico, and 8000 times stronger than Tabasco sauce.
To put the tiniest speck on the tip of your tongue is to experience "pure heat", Mr Lazar says.
Although capsaicin does not actually burn - it fools your brain into thinking that you are in pain by stimulating nerve endings in your mouth - some medical experts believe that it could kill an asthmatic or badly affect someone who touched his eyes or other sensitive parts of the anatomy.
Mr Lazar has trained his palate to endure the sensation, but he remembers the moment he dared to taste his "16 Million Reserve".
"The pain was exquisite," he said. "It was like having your tongue hit with a hammer. Man, it hurt. My tongue swelled up and it hurt like hell for days." Each of the 999 limited-edition bottles, priced at $US199 ($A265), contains just a few crystals.
But the powder is so strong that Mr Lazar says it would have to be dissolved in thousands of litres of water before it could no longer be tasted.
His career as a hot sauce creator began when he found that the best way to clear drunks out of his seaside bar was to give them free chicken wings dipped in an eye-watering home-made hot sauce.
Now he runs Extreme Foods in New Jersey, selling his existing range, including "Mega Death" and "Jersey Death", the latter, according to Mr Lazar, being the world's hottest usable condiment.
It takes several tonnes of fresh peppers to produce a kilogram of capsaicin for the 16 Million Reserve, and the work takes months.
Buyers have to sign a disclaimer warning that any handling must be under a controlled environment, using protective gloves and safety eye wear.
"It shouldn't be used for flavour," says Mr Lazar. "The only function is its heat value."
Hmm, I'm a fan of chilli, but at the same time I still have a bit of self-preservation. This would be one of those things that would definately be interesting to experience, but I wouldn't want to imagine the pain you'd go through as it goes through you :eek: