Here are a few other ideas that might trigger your fancy:
Boring tomato sauce?
Couple of slugs of this spicy nectar and boom! Arrabbiata for days.
‘Nduja in a pinch?
Massage a tablespoon of sauce into some plain sausage meat, maybe throw in a little sage – thank us later.
Puny pizzas?
A few dollops into an olive oil dispenser, a sprig of rosemary – and a word of warning!
Too hot to handle?
Toss a spoonful into some coconut milk for a Southeast Asian flavor bomb.
Tempura time?
Add a dab of you-know-what to your mayo – or soy sauce!
In need of cheese?
Our nectar is a Frenchman’s best friend!
Curry lacking fury?
You know what to do.
Chili con fuego?
Sensing a pattern, here?
True Mentors
Avocado
Your new guru.
Pineapple
A worthy teacher.
False Scriptures
Water
Useless: capsaicin isn’t soluble in water.
Alcohol
Disperses the capsaicin,
amplifying the burn
by spreading it
around your mouth.
Honorable Companions
Many milk-based products contain a protein called casein, which can help break down the capsaicin devils.
Like a detergent, casein helps to attract and wash away the oil-based capsaicin molecules floating around your mouth, just like soap washes away grease. We recommend sour cream. Or screw it, ricotta, ‘cause they make a darn fine pair
Acid also helps quell the burn : apple cider vinegar, lemon, or lime won’t save you, but they will help.
Personal fave: dash of yuzu extract in iced water.
Finally, words of precaution for the overzealous:
Don’t rub your eyes.
Not lube.