Re: [CH] Another useless survey

John Benz Fentner, Jr. (jbenz@courant.infi.net)
Mon, 21 Sep 1998 07:29:44 -0400 

Ashkenaz, Scott wrote:
> 
> I should be doing something more productive. But, I thought that it would be
> fun to compile meaningless statistics on our community. So, I've put
> together a (hopefully) fun survey of a few things. This is for entertainment
> value only - I'm not involved in chiles for commercial gain; I'm not a
> supplier, seller, or spammer, just an amateur chilehead. And, some of the
> inputs I got after my near-death experience made me wonder about some
> comparisons.
> 
> I will collect and tabulate the responses, and post them on my website - it
> is an excuse to finally replace the invitation for the hotluck. Please reply
> to me with as many answers as you choose to reply to; don't copy it to the
> list unless you feel that you have to.
> 
> 1. Not everyone likes red Tabasco sauce, but most people on the list have
> probably tried it. If Tabasco rates a 5, how would you rate the hottest you
> can tolerate? (Higher is hotter.)

I don't like it. Don't like the nuclear extract sauces either. (Haven't
had Jim's yet). I generally use the MesoAmerican orange hab sauces like
Maries Sharp's..or Bufalo Chipotle...or ....oh never mind...

 
> 2. What is the hottest pepper you routinely eat? What is your favorite
> chile?

Habs & habs...although I've been known to demolish a pot of hot sausage
with lotsa fried long hots and/or portugals.

 
> 3. How many times a week do you normally eat something you'd consider hot?

4 or 5

4. How long ago did you first start eating hot stuff? How old were you?
> (Yeah, yeah, I know that I can then calculate how old you are...as if I
> care...)

@1970 when i was in the Air Farce and was corrupted by California
Chicanos and Looziana pepper sauce fanatics. 

> 5. What is the first hot food you remember eating?

Horseradish (Polish immigrants around here would grow and pack their
own...a truly sinus clearing experience). As for chles related stuf, 
Pickled hot peppers and Durkee's Looziana Hot Sauce. 

 
> 6. How long ago, in hours, did you eat something hot?

Does tuna fish salad with hab powder count? 'Bout 12 hours
 
> 7. Approximately what percent of your hot food comes from:
      30   - Fresh peppers (in summer/fall anyway)
      30   - Dried peppers
     30  - Sauces and salsas
      5   - Restaurant meals (Hot restaurant food is an oxymoron
in               Connecticut
      5   - Second-hand consumption and inhalation (snorting hab
powder 		for fun and profit)
 
> 8. Do you grow your own peppers?

Sometimes...no time this year. 


9. Do you cook with chiles?

Do they serve pasta in the Vatican? 

> 10. Do you dry chiles for later consumption?

Yup...and/or freeze 'em. 

> 11. Do you make your own powders?

Nope, but I mix the ones I dry. 

 
> 12. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done with chiles (that you
> want to talk about)?

I don't wanna talk about it. But involved ceegars and a telephone. 

> 13. Have you "converted" people to the ways of chile? How many?

Aside from my wife and kid (who keeps stealing my Jonkanoo Pepper Sauce)
not many. We're a minority religion in Darkest Noo England.   

> 14. Do people consider you crazy (for more that just chiles)? Is it a good
> thing or a bad thing?

The suggestion has been made. Let 'em eat cake.

 
> 15. How would you describe your cultural heritage? Is it a culture which
> typically eats chiles?

Irish and German...the hottest thing we had at home was oatmeal.
 
> 16. Indicate which fits best:
>         - I am a radical vegan
>         - I am a vegetarian
>         - I tend towards vegetarianism
>     X   - I'm an omnivore
>         - I like meat and potatoes
>     X   - I didn't get to the top of the food chain for nothing
If God didn't intend you to eat animals they wouldn't be made of meat. 

> 17. Have you ever eaten something which you would consider too hot? Describe
> the case.

Cap extract sauces in general. And that little bitty red thing in the
Thai stir fry that time in Boston...


> 18. Have you ever entered a hot substance eating contest? How did you do?

Bah...anybody wanna have a contest they gotta have it with me.  

> 19. Have you ever had an unusual strong reaction to eating peppers? What was
> it? If so, have you had gastrointestinal problems, such as an ulcer?

Nope..'cept for hiccups a couple of times. Does profuse perspiration
count? 

> 20. Do you grow your own chiles? Lots or a little?

In the years I do I usually have about 6 varieties. 40 or 50 plants. 

> 21. Is your profession related to chiles? If yes, what is it?

Of course...all the best lawyers are ChileHaeds. (Or all the best
ChileHeads are lawyers...I forget which) 

> 22. How long have you been on the Chile Heads list?

'Bout 2 years I think. That's a scary thought. 

> 23. Are you a knuckle-dragger? (If you've been on the list a short time, you
> may not understand this...)

I do my best...speaking of ceegars and telephones...if Mr. Bill was a
ChileHead... 

> 24. How do you spell the name of our favorite fruit?

N A T H A N  L A N E
 
> 25. Do you use chiles for anything other than eating? What? (rael, control
> yourself...)

Do T-Shirts count?
 
> 26. Where do you live?

Darkest Noo England where the grocery stores don't stock Medium Salsa
'cause it's too hot and doesn't sell. 

> 27. Is it hotter in the Summer or the city?

Yes 


JB 
-- 
*********************************
John Benz Fentner, Jr.
Unionville, Connecticut, USA
http://www.geocities.com/~jbenz/
"Lex Non Favet Delicatorum Votis"
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