As I aufheiterte me recently with Martin Amis and his novel "London Fields" – "London Fields" is among the many funny Amis-novels, perhaps the funniest – I stayed once again at the spot where Keith Talent, the great anti-hero of the novel, in his regular haunt the "Retreat from Kabul" and ordered a Curry. Keith has given the chefs the statement, to spice up the legendary hot Curry this time "fad". Obedient you are not to prepare a Paste, which is so diabolical sharp, that every hell – hound would be happy with that-but Keith. The Sweat breaks out to him after the first bite, and his Hand begins to tremble. But while all the chefs and waiters are secretly ran together to watch him at the consumption of curry, Keith between the senseless lips only the obligatory comment: "... bit of a fad."
The place reminded me of another Lunatic by the name of Hunter S. Thompson, whom I even met in real life. After I had Hunter, the legendary Reporter and writer, whose ashes Johnny Depp transported by cannon in the air, lurking a few days in the "Woody Creek Tavern" in Colorado – so journalism worked, when there were no mobile phones , I saw a stand Hunter suddenly at the Bar and spoke to him.
He replied, Ratatatatatata, he operated a small thing on his belt was hanging, and the sound of a machine gun in the original volume generated. Then – I soon – he made it a condition for a conversation that I was one of the chili peppers drink, the bartender conjured up a Wink Hunters from the venom of the closet and into the Bar.
With the cannon in the sky: The ashes of Hunter S. Thompson was distributed in 2005, with a fireworks display. Photo: Keystone
"After you," I said, ready, but I could not look as fast as the Hunter had swallowed his Pod down. Now it was my turn. It is a painful experience, to the staff of the "Woody Creek" took just as pleased to share that the "Retreat from Kabul" at Keith Talent curry meal, with the difference that I didn't have the word "fad" on the lips, because I didn't know anything more about the lip, except a few Beers in the opposite direction to extinguish the fire followed.
years later, I have my assessment that Keith and Hunter is quite the Macho-jerk, scientifically found to substantiate the allegation. The evolutionary biologist and science writer Bob Holmes cited it in his fabulous book "taste" (Riemann Verlag), the investigation of "Personality factors predict spicy food liking and intake" by Nadia K. Byrnes, John E. Hayes, according to the preference particularly sharp food based women "sensation hunger", in the case of men, however, "reward sensitivity". Hayes: "In the case of women, it does not improve the social status, if you eat the hottest Chili. In the case of men already." Touché.
I like spicy food, but I'm not particularly interested in pain. It has been proven that the perception of Capsaicin, the ingredient that makes the different chili varieties in a more or less sharp, is directly related to the perception of overwhelming heat. Responsible for the Receptor TRPV1. The is not only found in the oral cavity, to penetrate where the Capsaicin relatively freely to him, but also in the inner layers of our skin, where he warns the brain when we grab on a hot stove plate, or with bare feet on scorching hot Sand.
2017 Has the Guinness record for the spiciest Chili: Carolina Reaper. Photo: Dale Thurber/CC BY-SA 3.0
But when is a Chili sharp and how sharp? The pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville developed in 1912 a scale, which is based on the fact, to dilute the extract of chilies for so long, until you can taste no more sharpness. Extracts of the mild chiles Anaheim and Poblano must be diluted, for example, five hundred to a thousand times: you have 500 to 1000 Scoville heat units. Jalapeños don't have to be about 5000, Cayennes 40 000 and the treacherous Habaneros between 100 000 and 300 000, which is, of course, a long way from the end of the flag pole. The Carolina Reaper has about 2.2 million Scoville what – compares as Bob Holmes with relish – "the police used pepper spray".
Clearly, Keith Talent would be delighted to call this place "here", and Hunter S. Thompson would be a good time for me to turn around. I recommend, however, sections of the careless use of Jalapeños or a maximum of a small Habanero, without seeds. And if you smile now, a little mockingly and mouthed "coward" say, you're probably a man and you should read this column definitely better. (The magazine)
Created: 12.03.2019, 16:28 PM