You've joined me on this wild ride with salts, fats, acids, and now my favorite—heat. Heat alters an ingredient's taste or texture just like acid does. It breaks down and helps enhance the ingredient's flavor or the dish, making it complete. Remember making a dish too spicy can be a poor choice unless you are preparing for a spicy pepper-eating contest or doing a mukbang—a social media fad—where you eat buckets of super spicy ghost pepper noodles.
My mother loved entering the hottest pepper-eating contests. What was her trick? She'd take a shot of olive oil. It helped to coat her stomach to handle the heat and to ingest more. I tried the pepper test in Culinary School and stopped after jalapenos. My lips and mouth became tingly, and I couldn't taste anything. I didn't find it enjoyable; I can only take in a little heat for balance, but I can't enjoy it when it's unbearable.
Balance, balance, balance! Sometimes your acid can help balance the heat at a steady roast. Think of Buffalo Wings. The hot vinegar sauce and blue cheese dressing pair nicely since they help balance the heat, making all the ingredients more enjoyable.
Chef's Note: If you are cutting spicy chilies, remember to wash your hands before touching your face, eyes, skin, and so on. If you do feel the burning sensation, douse the part with milk. The milk helps wash away the capsaicin from the peppers. Trust me, I've done it, my chef instructors have done it...it happens!