I enjoy growing peppers, and I have varieties of all heat
levels. and as anyone who has ever grown peppers knows,
there is no such thing as a pepper shortage this time of year,
all the plants are pumping out peppers! For me, part of the
enjoyment of growing anything is being able to share.

So, here's the problem, I have found that "hot" is a
relative term. I brought in some peppers to one of my
co-workers who insisted he liked hot peppers. "These
are really, really hot, now," I warned him; but he
assured me he liked 'em hot.

Apparently he doesn't like 'em *that* hot, cause he
was back in here complaining about my devil peppers.
I didn't have the heart to tell him those weren't even
close to the hottest ones I have.

Anyway, I'm starting to use what I call "The Old El Paso"
scale. Almost everyone has had Old El Paso salsa at some
time or another, so I ask them what level - mild, medium, or
hot- of Old El Paso salsa would they eat, or would they
consider Old El Paso far too wimpy.Yes, I know there are
far better salsas out there, both homemade and commercial,
but Old El Paso seems to be so ubiquitious, it's a handy reference.
It has narrowed things down a lot, but there are still a few who
are convinced they like much hotter peppers than they really do.

And then there are those annoying people who think that
liking hot peppers somehow makes them kewl. I will confess
to making pepper poppers out of Devil's Tongue peppers
to take to parties just to watch that sort start making all
kind of excuses about why they can't have anything hot
tonight! Some of them even get all scaredy at the
Lemon Drop poppers, and they're merely hot.


Penelope