For the first 20 minutes, each breath I took felt like I was fanning white hot coals inside my mouth. My throat began to swell and my eyes felt like they were popping out of their sockets. Water ran profusely from my eyes and nose as beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. My heart was pounding. I tried to think cool thoughts. Finally the pain subsided and it was over, and I felt like a stud.
But it wasn’t over. And I was no stud.
Within an hour, my stomach began to burn. After two hours, the burn cut like a knife. Chills ran down my spine and the pain in my stomach became unbearable. I panicked as I made my way to the bathroom, hoping I wouldn’t black out. Vomiting felt like an exorcism because my body was desperate to rid itself of the demon inside.
But it was too late. It had already entered my digestive tract. Calling for paramedics? I was at work and that would be embarrassing. Plus, my insurance probably wouldn’t cover my random act of stupidity. Doubled over in pain, I asked myself, “What did I just do?”
I ate a Carolina Reaper.
My painful episode lasted nearly six hours after eating an entire pepper, and not just any pepper. The Carolina Reaper was specifically bred for heat.
The Reaper, a hybrid created by Ed Currie of South Carolina, is a cross between the Ghost pepper and red habanero. In 2013, Guinness dubbed it the hottest pepper in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, the Trinidad Scorpion.
Now it’s beginning to appear in local markets. So here’s what you need to know if you love chilies and want to try this one, which has sent some tasters to the hospital with the same symptoms I experienced.
A pepper’s heat is measured in Scoville units. A jalapeno measures 8,000 Scoville units, the Carolina Reaper measures 2.2 million and the Scorpion measures 2 million. The next pepper down on the scale is the Ghost pepper at 1 million. (Pepper spray can be up to 5 million units or more.)
That explains my physical distress and the reaction of Robert Schueller, general manager of Melissa’s World Variety Produce in Vernon, when he learned I had consumed one whole.
“No you didn’t! I’ve never heard of that before. The pain usually lasts only an hour,” he said in disbelief and wondered why I would ever eat one.
I explained to him that after biting off the tip of the pepper to taste it, I was surprised that it wasn’t as hot as I had expected. Then I popped the whole thing in my mouth.
“That’s the mistake everyone makes,” he said. “The tip has very little heat and that’s what most people eat first. It’s the second bite that gets you because you’re biting into the vein and that’s the hottest part of the chili pepper. Not the seeds, like everyone thinks.”
So Schueller gave me a little lesson in chili anatomy. Chili peppers contain capsaicin oil, the extract used in mace, which is the only thing hotter than a Reaper pepper. The vein of the chili carries this oil to the seeds, which are the second-hottest part.
“People have said to me, ‘I’ve been able to eat hot jalapenos, but ate the Ghost pepper and had to go to the hospital,” said Schueller. “That’s a jump of 1 million Scovilles.” (At that point I was feeling judged.)
Reapers are grown in the Netherlands and imported into the United States. Melissa’s began distributing them in 2014. They can also be purchased at Stater Bros. and some Northgate markets. A box of nine peppers will cost around $10.
But buyer beware.
“There are chili heads out there that love the burn,” said Schueller. “Then you have those novices that think they’re smart and take the bet. My advice is not to take the $50 or $100 bet and eat these peppers. If you’re not raised in a family where eating peppers is normal, you might as well spray yourself with mace.”
Although there are a few employees at Melissa’s who can eat several Reapers at a time with no problem, workers are required to wear rubber gloves when handling these peppers. For distribution, the peppers are placed in plastic containers with warning labels clearly marked.
“Even our chili jars and dry chilies are labeled with Scoville heat scales and warnings. We do everything legally and label our products to satisfy our customers, but there are still people out there that don’t pay attention.”
Schueller cautions that if you don’t wear plastic gloves while handling these peppers, it’s critical that you wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 30 seconds, scrubbing up to the elbows, to make sure you’ve removed the oils.
“If you touch your eyes, be prepared to cry.”
And cooks should observe extreme caution.
“A little goes a long ways,” said Schueller. “You can use one chili to spice up a 5 gallon pot of chili to impart flavor and heat. This is not a chili relleno.”
And should you decide take on the Reaper and lose, as I did, there is only one proper way to extinguish the fire.
“Don’t drink water or alcohol, it will only spread the burn . That’s what most people do. The only thing that works is casein protein, which is found in milk.”
Now he tells me.
Contact the writer: jgoertzen@scng.com
