Celebrating Our Quest For Fire

Some fun facts in honor of the rapidly waning National Salsa Month, courtesy of the Pace people:

It’s not the seeds that make a jalapeno pepper hot, but the yellowish oil called capsaicin that runs down its core.

The heat in peppers is measured in what are called Scoville units, representing the number of parts of water per part of pepper needed to neutralize the capsaicin. Bell peppers are at zero on the scale, jalapenos register 2,500 to 5,000 and habaneros weigh in at an infernal 150,000 to 300,000.

Water is the worst thing to drink to cool off a pepper fire, because it just spreads the capsaicin around in your mouth. Try milk, which helps dissolve the oils; bread, which absorbs them, or lemon, which cuts the oil and cools the mouth.

Pace founder David Pace reportedly used picante sauce in his coffee.

Fish and chips

If you’re into a) catfish and b) computers, have we got a recipe contest for you.

Entries are being accepted until June 30 for The Catfish Institute’s on-line recipe contest, with a grand prize of $2,500 and two runner-up awards of $1,000 each. Recipes must be original and use farm-raised catfish as the main ingredient.

For more information or to enter, visit the institute’s World Wide Web site at www.catfishinstitute.com (which also features an archive of catfish recipes).

Free for all

More free recipe brochures that are a mere postage stamp away:

“Easy Grilled Veal … The Special Choice” (quick, easy barbecue recipes): Send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Dept. FC-VB, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

“Mushrooms - Savor the Possibilities” (mushroom recipes and information): Write to the Mushroom Council, 2200-B Douglas Blvd., Suite 220, Roseville, CA 95661.

“Always Ripe, Always Ready: Canned Pears from the Pacific Northwest” (salads to main dishes to desserts): send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, 105 South 18th St., Suite 205, Yakima, WA 98901-2149.

“Just For Kids” (fun ideas and easy recipes): Send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to Wilton, 2240 W. 75th St., Woodridge, IL 60517.

Chunky of change

Finally, according to the Adult Peanut Butter Lovers’ Fan Club, Idaho Falls ranks second nationally in annual spending on peanut butter per household ($22.13), behind only Wilmington, N.C. ($22.34).

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: We’re always looking for fresh food news. Write to: The Fresh Sheet, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5446; fax 459-5098.