Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Espelette Pepper: Firing Up French Cuisine

Rich, subtle, rustic…spicy?

Scoville heat units (SHU): 500 – 4,000 SHU
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 20 times milder
Origin: Basque region, France
Products and seeds: Espelette pepper on Amazon

French cuisine is a lot of things – rich, subtle, and rustic come fast to mind – but meals with any sort of heat is not high on the list. That is except for dishes starring the French native Espelette pepper. Also known as piment d’Espelette, this chili is a common spice of the Basque region of France, and while not a scorcher, it has a delicious subtle heat, slightly smoky and slightly citrusy. It’s so essential to the Basque region and its cuisine that it’s been given – like some wines and cheeses – protective AOC certification.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

by Matt Bray

Warms you up in all the right ways…

When you move from spiced sweet potato soup to spicy, you have a dish that’ll warm you up no matter how cold it gets outside. The heat here comes from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and with it comes more than a hint of smokiness that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the soup. Garlic and ground cumin provide an earthiness that balances things out perfectly.

Sriracha Slaw

by Matt Bray

Coleslaw with Sriracha heat? Yes please.

It’s true. Sriracha works with near everything. At least in our book, it’s a go-to seasoning just like Old Bay or cayenne powder. This Sriracha slaw is a good example – an everyday side is turned just a little more special with a few tablespoons of Rooster Sauce. Try it with BBQ or as a sandwich side. It’ll warm you up just right.

Melrose Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Melrose peppers? The Windy City may be the last place you think of when you think about spicy peppers. And even with the Melrose pepper, you’d still be right. Melrose peppers, with their curved, tapered bodies, may look like hotter chilies, but really they are zero-heat …

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

by Matt Bray

Flavorful spices meet a jalapeño kick…

When Fall is in the air, a hearty bowl of butternut squash soup is well in order. But why not turn it up a notch? Jalapeño peppers add some spicy to the flavorful spices like cumin, coriander, and curry powder in this recipe. It’s perfect as a lunch with some crusty freshly-baked bread or as an appetizer prior to a delicious Fall-inspired meal. Add a little cashew cream on top to bring some color and design to your plate.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

by Matt Bray

Spicy and light – a tasty barbecue side.

There’s an Asian flair to this spicy cucumber salad provided by the light coating of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. And it’s brought to spicy life by a sprinkle of crushed red pepper or cayenne powder. It may look unassuming, but there’s a lot of flavor here. It works either as an appetizer or side, and we love pairing it as a complementary dish against savory barbecue. As different as the flavors are, they just work together.

Beaver Dam Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are Beaver Dam peppers? When you think chili peppers, Wisconsin may not be the first place that pops into your mind. But there’s a hidden treasure up near the Canadian border with a very fitting name. The Beaver Dam pepper – brought to the …

Mexican Chicken Salad

by Matt Bray

A spicy take on the chicken salad staple.

Jalapeño peppers add a little oomph to what’s already a delicious meal. We especially like the pairing of the chilies against fresh red apple – it adds a light sweetness that’s very refreshing and a splash of color that looks terrific on the plate. Try it on a bed of lettuce, or opt for that tasty chicken salad sandwich.

Cayenne Lemonade

by Matt Bray

Sweet tart spice!

For only four ingredients, there’s a whole lot of flavor going on in this cayenne lemonade. The tart of fresh lemons is met head on with the earthy sweetness of maple syrup, only to be trumped with the simmering heat of cayenne pepper spice. It’s spot on for a cayenne maple syrup cleanse and also quite unique as a summer refresher.

Spicy Maple Syrup

by Matt Bray

Breathe fire into your syrup…

The beauty of this spicy maple syrup recipe is its simplicity. All it takes is a little cayenne pepper powder and you have a rich and spicy topping that’s as perfect on corn waffles as it is as a pork loin glaze. Try it, too, with fruit or berry toppings on pancakes. The sweet and spicy pairing is extra special.

Some opt for a few dashes of hot sauce to breathe fire into a syrup, but we prefer the earthy heat of cayenne. It combines well and there’s no chance of a vinegar tang due to an overly strong pour.