Matt Bray 
Dried peppers, whether no-heat sweet peppers or fiery chilies, can go bad just like any other food. By drying peppers, you can extend their shelf life for quite a long time, but not indefinitely. You should also keep in mind that other things can go …
Homemade salsas, with their fresh ingredients, often have more complex flavor profiles (and are more nuanced in terms of their heat levels) than the jarred stuff. There are many varieties of fresh salsas, each with different styles and flavors. Homemade salsa can be anywhere on …
When it is used in moderation, Sriracha sauce is generally regarded among spicy condiments as being fairly mild. When measured on the Scoville scale, the rooster sauce rates at only 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville heat units. The issues come when you go overboard with it. …
Generally speaking, paprika is a mild spice. The form of it that is easiest to find in the west is used more for its ability to color dishes than for any ability to flavor them. Its mildness means that you have some leeway if you …
What’s better than the creamy, earthy flavor of cream of mushroom soup? How about adding a delicious cayenne-inspired kick? It’s a homey heat that’ll warm you right up in many different ways. This soup is so filling it’s like a meal of its own. The amount …
Ginger snaps always deliver a decent warmth due to the…you guessed it…ginger, along with cinnamon, and cloves. But why not turn that warmth into actual sizzle? Spicy ginger snap cookies do just that. A little cayenne pepper powder packs a little pop to that snap. …
Fermented hot sauce and unfermented hot sauce are the two main options when making (or purchasing) hot sauce. The two processes result in very different products, even though the ingredients are very similar. Let’s break down the differences between the two in simple terms, so …
Carrot-based hot sauces are surprisingly delicious. They smooth the typical hot sauce tang and provide a little earthiness to the sauce to boot. One of our favorite combos of the bunch is certainly a carrot habanero sauce. It delivers significant spice and the habanero pepper …
The mix of cinnamon and cayenne pepper is one of those spice rack dynamic duos. Cinnamon has that exotic warmth, that sweet earthy flair. And cayenne? Well, it will punch you right in the taste buds. It adds extra life to that homey cinnamon warmth, …
The Cajun “holy trinity” is a blend of three aromatic ingredients: bell pepper, onion, and celery. These ingredients are typically sauteed in oil or butter. The aromatics release their aroma and flavor, which makes them a perfect base for a variety of dishes. The three ingredients …