Eating the World’s Hottest Pepper

Updated: 04/01/2018 | April 1st, 2018

A few weeks ago, I was in Austin, Texas, for the SXSW music festival. Since I was in town for over 10 days, I wanted to get away from the festival and explore Austin. I asked some of my local friends to give me a list of their Austin. I wanted something more than what I’d find online.

One of the items on that list was Tears of Joy, a hot sauce shop located downtown. There I could buy some of the world’s hottest sauces (conveniently located in a coffin-shaped shelf) and sample some of the sauces they make.

Now, I hate spicy food. Almost as much as I hate heights. While years of eating Thai food built up a mild tolerance for those spices, generally, I can’t handle spicy food. I never developed a taste for it. If I go out for Indian or Mexican, I get it as mild as possible.

But you only live once, and I thought the image of me eating the Ghost Pepper would make a great video. The Ghost Pepper (Naga Bhut Jolokia) is considered the world’s hottest pepper, with a Scoville heat rating of over one million.

The main compound that gives chilies their signature kick is called capsaicin. The amount of heat a pepper packs has to do with the level of capsaicin it contains. The more capsaicin, the hotter the people. This measured on the Scoville scale, which ranks varieties based on their capsaicin concentration.

So, on a bright sunny morning, I walked into the shop and got the hottest Ghost Pepper sauce they had, as well as pure capsicum extract (i.e., death in a bottle).

The results? Watch this video to see (I made a funny ending so watch until the end!) what happens when you eat the world’s hottest pepper, especially when you aren’t used to spicy foods:

The next time you visit Austin, check out Tears of Joy for some burn-your-mouth hot sauces. You can sample many varieties, and they provide ample milk to wash it down. If you like spicy food, you haven’t lived until you tried a bottle labeled “Keep Away From Children.”

It took me all day to recover and I must have drank at least two gallons of milk. It was an interesting experience but now that I’ve survived that, hot sauce doesn’t seem so bad anymore. It’s like throwing someone in the deep end to teach them to swim. If I can survive pure extract, I can survive spicy Indian food.

How to visit Tears of Joy
Tears of Joy is located at 618 E 6th Street. Opening hours are 10:30am-6pm (M-Sa), and 12pm-4pm (Su).

Book Your Trip to Austin: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Austin by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
HK Austin is my favorite hostel in the city — though I may be biased because I won it! To book another hostel in Austin, use Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Austin?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Austin for even more planning tips!

 

Photo credit: 1

How to Cry on an Airplane Without Anyone Noticing

Airplane movies always make me cry. 

It can be a comedy, an action-packed blockbuster, or even a nature documentary — anything with just the slightest hint of pathos will reduce me to a puddle of tears and give the passenger next to me cause for alarm. And I’m not alone.

There is something about an airplane cabin that makes people more prone to emotional displays. It’s a well-regarded phenomenon, although scientists have yet to pinpoint an exact cause (some cite lower oxygen levels or the very psychology of travel).

But after a flight attendant found me welling up during The Big Short and asked if she could get me anything, I vowed to never again be caught in such a compromising situation.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

So I developed an arsenal of tricks that allow me to discreetly bawl while at cruising altitude. Although some travelers may pack tissues or wear sunglasses onboard to mask tears, it's still fairly obvious to surrounding passengers what’s going on.

This may be acceptable for those who only cry at films that are actually heart-wrenching, but when you weep during children’s movies and comedies, you need techniques that are a bit more covert.

Here’s how to sob on an airplane and arrive at your final destination with dignity still intact.

1. Always pick a window seat

Planning in advance is often the best defense. Passengers who are sitting in the window seat have a built-in cry shield, and only need to worry about blocking leaky eye sockets from one side. Stare directly out the window until the sadness has passed. The aisle seat is the worst spot for criers. Avoid it at all costs.

2. Wear a hoodie

There’s no garment that was built for a public cry quite like an oversized hoodie.

3. Take a bathroom break

If you know you’re going to be blubbering and gasping for air, get a little privacy in the airplane bathroom. The loud woosh of the toilet flush can mask any loud sobs. Reserve this space exclusively for short, cathartic emergency cries, as other passengers will start knocking on the door if you take too long.

4. Pack a mini bottle of Visine

Hudson News sells them, thankfully, and they come in travel-friendly droppers (less than one fluid ounce). 

5. Use a sleep mask

Emotional passengers on long-haul flights can use the provided eye mask as a shield for sobs. Secure the eye mask as tightly as possible to create a dam that will prevent tears from rolling out the bottom.

6. Book a redeye flight 

Those prone to crying on planes should try to book flights when other passengers are likely to be sleeping. It’s much easier to get away with waterworks in the dark. When the cabin lights dim, let the tears fall.

7. Learn to fake a sneeze

If anybody confronts you about your tears, tell them it’s allergies.

8. Pretend you’re sleeping

If the in-flight entertainment starts to get too emotional, pause the film, cross your arms on the tray, lay your head down, and make a few snoring sounds before letting the tears loose. Pro tip: Use your sleeves to dry your eyes before popping back up and resuming the movie.

9. Have reading material

Magazines, newspapers, and books are a requirement in any weepy arsenal. Not only are they a great barrier from which to cry behind, but also the pages can double as tissues in a pinch.

10. Don't underestimate the genre

I once cried while watching Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. So don't let your guard down just because you're watching a comedy.