Serious Eats: Serious Heat

What's So Great About Tony Chachere's Creole Spice Blend Anyway?

2011-03-15T13:45:00Z

Let's not get upset at me all at once. I'm just puzzled by the utter devotion that Tony Chachere's Original Creole Spice Blend commands. Fans keep Ziploc bags of it in their purse, containers in the car and dust every dish with the blend. Read More

Do You Have a Favorite Storebought Spicy Soup?

2011-03-07T19:00:00Z

With the last gasp of winter upon us, why not take comfort in a bowl of spicy soup until spring comes. These five soups have more than a burst of chile-inducing heat in common. They are all so flavorful and fresh-tasting, it's hard to believe they originated from a box, can, or plastic tub. Do you have any favorites? Read More

What's Your Secret Salsa Ingredient?

2011-02-14T17:00:00Z

A few months ago, I came across a tomato-based salsa at a Mexican restaurant that I couldn't stop dipping the tortilla chips in. It had all the major salsa players: tomatoes, onions and chiles. But there was something a little different about this salsa, a spice or herb that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It added a touch of earthiness, maybe even smokiness? What could it be? Read More

Valentine's Day Baking: Sprinkle Pink Peppercorns on Sugar Cookies

2011-02-07T14:15:00Z

Pink peppercorns are deceiving little things. They're not actually peppercorns but, in fact, dried berries cultivated in Madagascar. To me, these faux peppercorns have a delicate floral taste with a spark of pepperiness. Read More

What to Do When You Add Too Much Spice

2011-01-17T12:15:00Z

It happens to the best of us. You get a little too excited about adding cayenne powder to your chili to bump up the heat and uh oh—you've gone too far. What was supposed to be a simple kick of zest has now turned into too much of a mouth-burning fire. The entire dish doesn't need to be bound for the trash. Here are a few ways to remedy the situation. Read More

Serious Heat: Spicy Fried Chicken

2011-01-10T14:00:00Z

Whether it's coated in a blend of chile powders or bathed in a combination of buttermilk and hot sauce, fiery fried chicken has become a force to be reckoned with. Slowly but surely, spicy fried chicken is coming into its own all across the country. Read More

Serious Heat: 10 Things to Do with Kimchi

2011-01-03T19:00:00Z

VIEW GALLERY: Serious Heat: 10 Things to Do with Kimchi

While you can always stir kimchi into rice for an easy side (with no complaints from me!), sometimes I crave kimchi fusion. Kimchi is fermented vegetables, most often cabbage, but there are varieties, one of my favorite being made with radishes. Seasonings can include garlic, ginger, chiles, fish sauce to make for a condiment that's fiery and salty with a pucker-worthy tartness. Because of this acidity, it greatly complements richer dishes. Here are 10 fusion-inspired ideas on what to do with kimchi. Read More

iSpice, an iPhone App for Spice Lovers

2010-12-13T10:30:00Z

Introducing iSpice from food writer Monica Bhide which just launched, an app that's like having a spice dictionary at your disposal. Read More

Serious Heat: 10 Homemade Spicy Food Gifts

2010-12-06T13:15:00Z

Taking into account a person's food likes and crafting a homemade gift for them can be a thoughtful, touching gift for the holidays. The joy is not just in giving the gift, but also in making it. For the spice-savvy person in your life, here are 10 homemade spicy gift ideas from harissa to honey-chile butter. Do you have any zesty homemade gifts you make? Read More

Gift Guide: For the Spicy Food Lover

2010-11-15T13:30:00Z

VIEW GALLERY: Gift Guide: For the Spicy Food Lover

This selection of gifts is geared to make any heat-obsessed fan happy throughout the year. It ranges from teeny Tabasco bottles and Sriracha peas (move over, wasabi peas) for stocking stuffers to hanging pepper plants. Check out this roundup of seven gift ideas, none of them over $35, for spicy food fiends. Read More

How to Make Turducken in Under 24 Hours

2010-11-10T19:30:00Z

VIEW GALLERY: How to Make Turducken in Under 24 Hours

The noble turducken plays out like a carnivore's dream—layers of sumptuous turkey, duck and chicken drowned in gravy and packed with at least three different types of stuffing. But the entire process can take at least a day from start to finish. I was determined to find a quicker way. Read More

Got Too Many Apples? Make Apple Salsa

2010-11-01T18:00:00Z

I was a skeptic. Apple salsa? Sure, I enjoy a good fruit salsa but I had never thought of it in terms of apples. But, hey, it's apple season and a good opportunity to use up the fruit. Who knew it could be so good. Read More

Serious Heat: Three Spicy Recipes for Day of the Dead

2010-10-25T14:15:00Z

An occasion steeped in tradition, Day of the Dead feasts were offered to the spirit of the departed. According to chef Lucio Palazzo at Xochitl in Philadelphia, an altar was built bearing favorite foods and refreshments of the departed "to quench the spirit's thirst and relieve the soul's hunger after the long journey from the afterworld." We've compiled a menu to start your Day of the Dead celebration in spicy style. Read More

Serious Heat: What the Heck Is a Trigona?

2010-10-13T09:00:00Z

So what the heck is a trigona? I certainly didn't know before meeting Greg. It's sweet or savory goodness wrapped in phyllo dough, fashioned into a triangle shape. Greg channeled his Greek roots for this recipe, especially since the baked phyllo shell would stay crispy for hours, an absolute must when in a competition cookoff. Read More

Serious Heat: Marinated Feta Cheese with Jalapeños

2010-10-06T09:00:00Z

I was recently introduced to the wonder that is feta cheese marinated in olive oil. It mellows out the sharpness of this cheese. Following the fabulous David Lebovitz's instructions, a commenter on his blog wondered about adding jalapeño to the mix. That's all the nudging I needed. Adding two jalapeños gives a sultry heat to the finish of the feta. Read More