Way back in August when I was drowning in contract work, I received a link from YouTube’s Healthy Herbalist, Allan, to his chili pepper video and thought “Maybe this is a contest entry.” Watch Allan eat peppers.
Frankly, eating peppers like that seems a bit crazy but the men in my family seem to “get it.” My Uncle Fred and cousin Andy, for instance, have been known to grow their own peppers in a window box to ensure a source of good, hot peppers. Andy is way over the top with his pepper-eating. He’s one of those guys who eats them whole like they are any other sort of snack. When we have had a really hot, inedible batch, someone always says “Mail those to Andy.”
The topic came up again as I was working on the book. When I made the list of depression buster foods, I did a little reality check on each of the foods. Spirulina, for instance, made the list. But the measure was 100 grams – a mountain of green powder. The amount of spirulina that would have made the list was really unreasonable for anyone to eat, even though it has some really good health properties.
Red chili peppers are actually on the list as well. I considered cutting the peppers from the list. Who would eat seven peppers after all? “Andy would,” I said to myself.
I asked him about eating seven peppers and he said “No problem. Just make sure they are not habaneros.”
Andy recounted a story of eating about seven habaneros one night alone and feeling like he was going to have a heart attack. That is one of those experiments you do not try twice, apparently.
His wife Stephanie then recounted a cruise trip in which Andy ate a mountain of peppers as an appetizer before the formal cruise dinner. After drinking only one beer with dinner, Andy wasn’t himself.
“There I was in ‘my prom dress,’” said Stephanie, “and he was as drunk as a college student. I couldn’t believe it.”
“It was something about those peppers,” added Andy.
So it’s no problem eating a mountain of peppers reports Andy, just watch the habaneros and pass on the beer.
Alan, if you’re still around, I’ll send you a book when it’s done just to reward the grit in that video. You guys are out of control.
Send in your nominations today.
@ Amazon.
My dad loves Tobasco peppers. He keeps a jar in the fridge and every time he walks into the kitchen he has to have a couple. He just goes over and pops a couple whole ones into his mouth and smiles as the sweat starts to gather on his face. He also likes to hide them on his sandwiches so that he can get that unexpected but expected treat when he bites into one. I have seen him eat so many that his lips actually get burned in the process. He just grinns like a giddy school girl the whole time.