| To know what gives hot spices that characteristic | | | | discovered, and the chile plant began to move |
| heat, or piquancy, a definition of spices in general | | | | across the world, it replaced black pepper as the |
| is required. A definition of spice is any of the | | | | hottest spice. |
| various aromatic vegetables that are used to | | | | No spice came close to the piquancy of the new |
| season and flavor foods to make them more | | | | chile, but their are several spices considered more |
| interesting. Of course, humans are the only animal | | | | "pungent" than piquant. Some examples of these |
| species that cooks their food, and then season | | | | are wasabi, grains of paradise, horseradish, |
| that food with spices. | | | | Sichuan peppercorns, and radishes. |
| The intense flavors of hot spices comes from the | | | | Today, although chiles are popular throughout the |
| oils contained within the vegetable products. | | | | New World and Latin America, people from some |
| Spices create a hot, or burning sensation in the | | | | parts of the United States seem to enjoy the |
| mouth. Many lovers of hot spices even claim a | | | | most intense heat anywhere. Americans seem to |
| "high" or adrenalin rush when eating spicy foods. | | | | crave that burn, to the point of taking it to higher |
| And there is evidence that they aid in digestion by | | | | and higher levels of intensity. Sauces made from |
| fighting off bacteria in the body. | | | | the hottest chiles, then concentrated to "hotter |
| For hundreds of years, a very small number of of | | | | than hot" pastes, are popping up in markets |
| these spices provided all of the piquancy to "kick | | | | everywhere, and Americans are buying these |
| up" the flavor in food in the Old World. In Europe, | | | | products in waves. |
| Africa, and Asia, the spices used were black | | | | Hot spices have yet to reach their peak in |
| pepper, ginger, mustard, and a few others, were | | | | popularity throughout the world, as more and |
| the extent of all hot spices. | | | | more culinary ideas come from the use of various |
| In the New World, a single chile plant provided | | | | spices and combinations of spices every day. This |
| more piquant flavor than any other spice up to | | | | promises to deliver extreme excitement to food |
| that time. And that plant was the chile. It provided | | | | for many more years to come. It also promises |
| ancient people with a powerful burning sensation | | | | newer developments in hot spices and the |
| never felt before. Once the New World was | | | | technology behind it for the future. |