Our web page, Habaņero Caballeros.
Ok I just realized how lame and non-explanatory this page is so I'll do my best to explain who the HC are. The story below is taken from the Kablani's page with his permission from his.
"Long ago in a land far away (Brackettville, TX), there lived a young man named Beast. He picked a small yellow pepper from a plant in his uncle's garden. He had heard of the violent nature of the small fruit but took no heed. He popped it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. And as he savored the unusually woody flavor and cursed the pansies that claimed the unbearable heat, . . . It hit him, a pain so intense that no fluid could squelch the horrible heat. Glasses and glasses of futile water poured down his throat, but to no avail, the pain would not cease. When (after about 30-40 minutes) he regained his ability to speak, he said to his cousin near by, "It's not that bad, try it!" The cousin would not be outdone and popped the dangerous pod down his throat.
The Beast and his cousin converted few after that day. Tempting friends to withstand the heat of the pepper. But then the pair journeyed to Texas A&M where there are those who never back down from a challenge, Texas Aggies. Shortly thereafter the initial group, shown above, was formed. And thus began the Habaņero Caballeros, a group of people united by a pepper. United by the intense heat only found in a small pepper from the chili family, the Habaņero. Scoffed by the naive, feared by the brave, the Habaņero Caballeros."
So as it was spoken, a few friends are asked to join every year by eating this pepper. I was invited to join the tight knit group on 8/5/00 along with Maverick, and Missy. And yes it is that hot.
From Margen, S. et. al (1992).The wellness encyclopedia of food and nutrition: How to buy, store, and prepare every variety of fresh food. Distributed by Random House. ISBN 0-929661-03-6.
"All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even induce perspiration. Capsaicinoids have no flavor or odor, but act directly on the pain receptors in the mouth and throat. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
"Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's placenta--the white "ribs" that run down the middle and along the sides of a pepper. Since the seeds are in such close contact with the ribs, they are also often hot. In the rest of the vegetable, capsaicinoids are unevenly distributed throughout the flesh, so it is likely that one part of the same pepper may be hotter ot milder than another. You can reduce the amount of heat in a chili pepper by removing the ribs and seeds, but you must wear gloves while doing so.
"Capsaicinoid content is measured in parts per million. These parts per million are converted into Scoville heat units, the industry standard for measuring a pepper's punch. One part per million is equivalent to 15 Scoville units. Bell peppers have a value of zero Scoville units, whereas habaneros -- the hottest peppers--register a blistering 200,000 to 300,000.Pure capsaicin has a Scoville heat unit score of 16 million." (p.140)
| Image | Name | Scoville Units | Native Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Habanero | 100K-300K | Yucatan, Caribbean |
 |
Scotch Bonnet | 100K-250K | Jamaica, Caribbean, Belize |
 |
Jamaican Hot | 100K-200K | Jamaica, other Caribbean islands |
 |
Thai | 50K-100K | Southeast Asia, California |
 |
Cayenne | 30K-50K | Louisiana, Mexico, Asia, Africa |
 |
Serrano | 10K-23K | Mexico, Southwest U.S. |
 |
Wax | 5K-10K | Mexico, California, Southwest U.S. |
 |
Jalapeno | 2.5K-5K | Oaxaca, Chihauhau, Texas, Southwest US |
 |
Rocotillo | 1.5K-2.5K | South America |
 |
Poblano | 1K-1.5K | Puebla, Mexico City region, California |
 |
New Mexico | 500-1,000 | Rio Grande Valley |
 |
Pepperoncini | 100-500 | Mediterranean Basin, California |
 |
Bell Pepper | 0 | Holland, Mediterranean Basin, California |
 |
Sweet Italian | 0 | Mediterranean Basin, California |
| Pure Capsaicin | 16 Million | Chemistry Labs |