Hot, hot, hot

The seasons are changing, folks, no matter where you live. Here in America, it's getting cold, while in other parts of the world it is warming up. Either way, now is a great time to enjoy nature's bounty of hot peppers.

The habenero plant in my back yard will die any day now (as frost becomes more threatening every night) but many hot peppers, including jalapenos, habeneros, serranos and poblanos are available in most supermarkets year-round.

The warmth of peppers is great in the summertime because peppers make you sweat, which makes you feel cooler. They also encourage lots of drinking (milk is better than beer to get rid of the burn), which can help cool you down and keep you hydrated.

Peppers are good additions to the winter menu as well. They add an extra warming layer to soups, stews, eggs, chili, beans and more.

If you're a die-hard pepper-head or just starting out on your chile pepper odessey, one site you must visit is Pepper Fool a fun site loaded with recipes adn resources on all things peppery.

This site includes a huge number of recipes, everything from breads (mostly cornbreads) to hot and spicy beverages (magaritas, hot chocolate and bloody marys, among others) hot and spicy currys and more than a dozen varriations on tamales (from lobster to pork to chicken and salsa verde.)

Of course there are lots of traditional recipes, too, from salsas, moles and other spicy condiments to traditional creole fare (jambalaya, etouffee, red beans and rice, and gumbo). There are recipes for pizza, pasta, snacks (including cajun popcorn and spicy peanuts), jams and jellies, even vegetarian fare.

There are also recipes for spice rubs, from Garam Masala (an Indian spice mix) to homemade Old Bay (the basic shrimp/crawfish/crab boil spice). The site also includes a couple of recipe collections submitted by individuals.

The only limitation this site has is that none of the recipe pages have their own Web addresses, so I can't link you directly to them. But you really should take the time to check them out. It will get you thinking of taking chiles in many different directions.

This site also includes reviews of restaurants, links to sources for pepper plants, books and peppers and other products, as well as a few kinds of hot sauce and dried peppers you can buy direct from them.

And if you just can't get enough hot peppers, the site also features a newsletter that will let you know when the site is updated. You can also submit recipes and meet up with other pepper heads through the guest book.

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