Hey, hot stuff

September 11, 1:01 AMFood ExaminerEric Burkett

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Sprinkle a little cayenne in your shoes in the winter
and it'll help keep your feet warm. Really.

Cayenne. For most Americans, particularly before the 1970s, cayenne was vaguely exotic if not outright suspicious. Hot and pungent, it was probably most familiar as the chief ingredient in Tabasco sauce, which as kids we watched our danger-defying uncle or some other notorious relative sprinkle with abandon over their scrambled eggs.

At 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units (the scale used to measure heat in chiles) cayenne is hardly the hottest member of the capsicum family. That dubious honor goes to India’s Naga Jolokia which clocks in at 1,050,000 SUs (the average jalapeño, for comparison’s sake, comes in at about 5,000). What cayenne is capable of, unlike its Indian relative, is nuance. 

As a child, when I first began to explore cook books, I was intrigued by the occasional listing of “Few grains of cayenne” among the ingredients of a number of recipes in our trusty copy of Joy of Cooking. In my 1964 edition, the authors warn “Cayenne is so very hot, it should be used only in the smallest pinches”.

Tastes change, of course, but the wonderful ability of cayenne to boost other flavors hasn’t. I use cayenne quite often, not for its heat but for its ability to perk up other spices and flavorings. When I make cinnamon rolls, for example, I find a small amount of cayenne moves the cinnamon from being merely a warm, fuzzy flavor to a tingling presence. Cayenne brings life to cheese sauces and béchamel. Cayenne, eager to ensure everyone has a good time, pushes the more reticent flavors out to the middle of the dance floor where everybody can see just what party animals they really are.

I'm not suggesting adding a teaspoon, or even a quarter teaspoon, to the mix. Maybe a sixteenth or less. You’ll simply have to experiment and see what works. Of course, in order for cayenne to really show off its skills, it’s vital to maintain a fresh supply. Forget the bottles you typically find stashed on a shelf in the grocery store. To ensure your cayenne is full of power, buy it in bulk from your local co-op or spice store and never buy more than you think you’ll use for the short term. It’s cheaper that way, and it packs a lot more flavor.