Allergy problems? Eat chile!
- By Sunny Conley
- Published 01/1/2003
- Dining
- Unrated
Sunny Conley
Sunny Conley holds a Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. She is author of Cafe Hopping in the Southwest: 100 Charming Places to Eat, Plus Tips for Tourists [May 1996, June 1997, Arroyo Press]. The book received a 1997 New Mexico Press Women's Book Award.
Sunny has penned over 600 columns and articles for a variety of media. Her column, "Chile Knights: Chile Lore, Tales & Tidbits" and the accompanying photograph, are featured Fridays in the Las Cruces Sun-News. Her work has also appeared in the Journal for the Society for Technical Communication, Independent Business95, New Mexico Magazine, Southern New Mexico Business Journal, and elsewhere.
Sunny edited Mesilla Valley ROTARIANS HOT ON CHILE! cookbook [1997], a collection of chile-inspired recipes donated by members of the Mesilla Valley Rotary Club of Las Cruces and members of the Las Cruces community. All proceeds benefit non-profit organizations. Her work has received more than 20 state awards (ten for first place) in the past 5 years for her book, food columns, travel and business features, and desktop publications.
Sunny's restaurant commentaries can be heard monthly on KRWG-FM, southern New Mexico, West Texas and northern Mexico public radio. The reviews also appear on-line at http://SouthernNewMexico.com.
She is active in the community. Sunny is president of the Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Rotary Club and serves on the boards of Southern New Mexico Press Club, the Las Cruces Museum of Natural History, and on the Hugh Downs Media Awareness Council. Sunny is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce.
She is a frequent lecturer at New Mexico State University, the Las Cruces Public Schools and for civic organizations. Sunny's upbeat and fun Café Hopping in the Southwest slide show, and "My Love Affair with the Chile Pod" presentation is especially popular.
View all articles by Sunny Conley
"It doesn't matter who you are, or what you've done, or think you can do. There's a confrontation with destiny awaiting you. Somewhere, there is a chile you cannot eat." - Daniel Pinkwater, A Hot Time in Nairobi
The poor souls who suffer from allergies, whose symptoms range from a stuffy nose and itchy eyes to profound sneezing, often depend on over-the-counter potions for temporary relief. But not true-blue New Mexicans. Land of Enchantmenters grab our home grown hotheaded red or green chile pod to help clear the head. Why? A puissant chemical, capsaicin [kap-SAY-ih-sihn], which is found in most varieties of chile, is known for its nasal passage arousal and decongestant properties.
Up to 80 percent of capsaicin is found in the seeds and membranes of the chile pod. But not all peppers contain the fiery compound. Most paprika and bell pepper varieties, for example, fall at "0" on the heat index which ranges from 1 to 10. In contrast, untamed versions, such as cayenne and habanero, produce readings from 7 and up.
Pure capsaicin powder is blonde in appearance and insoluble in cold water. That's why drinking tumbler-size glasses of icy water, say scientists, won't snuff out the chile irritant. But Susan Hazen-Hammond, author of Chile Fever: Mine's Hotter Than Yours [Gramercy Books, 1996] writes, ". . in Mexico, ancestral home of peppers, an old folk saying claims water is the
Milk, especially whole milk, and yogurt, and a generous helping of Breyers French vanilla ice cream tames the pain for me. (Dairy products contain casein, a protein that helps desensitize the tissues by splitting the bond between the pain sensors and the capsaicin.) But other chile noshers swear by saltine crackers or a thimbleful of sugar or salt. The crystal granules, when rubbed on the tongue, are said to "sandpaper away" the pain. (Contact me if you have other surefire cures to share.)
Most chile cheechakos (chile novices) are tomorrow's Chileheads, individuals who enjoy the cussing and sweating that occurs after downing a particularly ardent chile dish. After repeated doses of a mild variety like El Paso or Cherry, cheechakos inevitably demand a chile with a bit more bite. When I arrived in the fertile chileland ten years ago, for example, the gentle Big Jim was racy enough for me. Today, the hot Sandia peppers my homemade salsa and it's my pepper of choice when I'm afflicted with allergies.
Alas, like thousands other, I suffer from seasonal rhinitis, a malady acquired only since relocating to this desert land. And when the nasty ailment hits, I retreat to my cozy abode, curl up on my cushy divan and savor a big bowl of Crockpot Firecracker Stew, which I share below.
CROCKPOT FIRECRACKER STEW
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, shredded or cut into strips (I use chicken breasts)
1-1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
2 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 to 1 lb. fresh (as hot as you like) green chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped (for added punch, try canned jalapenos)
2 (15-oz) cans corn kernels, drained
1 cups long grain rice, uncooked or 4 to 8 oz. egg noodles, uncooked
4 cups water or chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1-1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2-1 tsp. pepper, or to taste
Dump ingredients into a crockpot. Turn on low and simmer for several hours. Tastes best when refrigerated overnight and reheated. Top with shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese. Serve with warm corn tortillas