International Hot and Spicy Food Day
January 16 · Level 9 · #347 of 2238
This is a day for anyone who likes a little fire on the plate. It is an excuse to try dishes built on chili peppers, curry spices, wasabi and other fiery seasonings.
How it is celebrated: spice fans order the hottest item on the menu, cook a pot of chili or curry at home, and run sauce tastings with friends. The bravest see who can last longest before reaching for a glass of milk.
The heat of peppers is measured on the Scoville scale, devised by the American chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. Birds cannot feel capsaicin, so they happily eat chili peppers and spread the seeds.