Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Cajun Meatballs

Meatballs with Southern spice flair… This Cajun meatballs recipe may seem simple, but there’s a heck of a lot of flavor here. Cajun seasoning contains lots of delicious Southern spices like paprika, cayenne pepper powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. We top …

Chilaca Pepper: A Rare Delight

by Matt Bray

The pasilla in fresh form…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,000 to 2,500
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 8 times milder
Origin: Mexico
Products and seeds: Chilaca pepper on Amazon

While the long and curvy chilaca pepper may not be the most recognizable (or findable) chili outside of Mexico, its dried form certainly has a fast growing following. When dried, the fresh chilaca chili becomes the popular pasilla pepper, part of the Holy Trinity of chilies used in traditional Mexican mole sauces. Yet there’s more to the chilaca pepper than being behind the scenes of a pepper scale star. There’s a family-friendly heat and a robust meaty flavor here – rich and slightly floral – that’s delicious in salsas.

Pasilla Vs. Poblano: PepperScale Showdown

by Matt Bray

Here’s a case of mistaken identity, times two. For two chili peppers that look truly nothing alike, there’s a lot of confusion that surrounds pasilla and poblano peppers. Supermarkets, in fact, often mislabel pasillas as poblanos (and vice versa), but how can that be the case …

Homemade Jalapeño Vodka

by Matt Bray

Perfect for spicy Bloody Marys and martinis…

Sure you could reach for that Absolut Peppar, and take the easy route to a spicy vodka. But where would the fun be in that? It’s so simple to turn that bottle of plain vodka into something hot, hot, hot. All you need is a few jalapeño peppers and time.

With the seeds removed, jalapeños provide a light amount of spice to your vodka. it’ll turn your everyday martinis and Bloody Marys into cocktails with extra oomph, but they won’t be so hot as to turn off the less-spicy inclined among your friends and family.

Wiri Wiri Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are wiri wiri peppers? Sometimes it’s the littlest things that hold the biggest surprises. For instance, the Guyanese wiri wiri pepper may look little – like colorful cherries – but inside it contains sun-like heat rivaling habanero peppers and scotch bonnets (100,000 to 350,000 …

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

by Matt Bray

So many spices, plus an extra kick!

Traditional spiced gingerbread cookies already feature many delicious festive spices, like cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. All three are here, plus the addition of cayenne pepper powder for a spicy kick. Paired with the ground ginger powder, that’s a delicious amount of heat in these cookies. Be sure to label these cookies as “hot!” when serving to family and friends!

Cajun Bloody Mary

by Matt Bray

A cocktail chock full of spice…

Everywhere you turn in this Cajun Bloody Mary recipe, you have delicious, delicious spice. It all starts with the Cajun seasoning, with its mix of spices, including cayenne. Top that with more cayenne powder, the famous Tabasco hot sauce, black pepper, and, of course, horseradish, and you have a tasty cocktail that punches hard.

It’s perfect for a Southern-style brunch. Serve it with Cajun shrimp and grits – we love the pairing. Want to make your own Cajun seasoning? Check out our recipe here.

Habanero Ranch Sauce

by Matt Bray

A ranch dipping sauce with teeth…

On paper, habanero pepper and ranch dressing is sort of like fire and ice. One’s hot and somewhat fruity, the other creamy and smooth. But, chili peppers pair very well with “opposite” ingredients (chili chocolate anyone?), so it should come as no surprise that habanero ranch sauce is simply delicious. Pairing it with buffalo chicken wings is magic, and it’s a terrific side to crudité platters to bring some unique spice to the table.

Spicy Jalapeño Mojito

by Matt Bray

Liven up your cocktails…

There are so many flavors going on in a well-made jalapeño mojito: It’s minty fresh, sugary sweet, tangy, and yes…spicy! It tastes like vacation – a relaxing escape somewhere tropical and warm. The heat is just enough to remind you that this isn’t your typical mojito, yet subtle enough to let those traditional mojito flavors still take center stage. Control the spice by increasing or decreasing the amount of jalapeño wheels used. Or try deseeding them to remove much of the kick. But where’s the fun in that?

Jalapeño Hushpuppies

by Matt Bray

Crunchy, slightly spicy, and packed with flavor…

It’s hard to eat only one hushpuppy when they’re made with a plain dough, but when adding in jalapeño peppers and a little Old Bay seasoning, it’s like holding back the biggest food craving ever. Expect these to be gone soon after you place them out. They’ll quickly become a family favorite, perfect as an appetizer or side.