I CAN’T STAND SPICY FOOD.

That’s why I was surprised that I really liked the southwest chili at the pepper party at the plantations. The vegan dish had the perfect balance of hearty beans and tomato base, with just the right amount of spice to warm you up after the cool afternoon rainfall, and perfectly paired with tortilla chips. I also tried a chinese stir fry which was delicious, and vegan as well, but did leave my mouth burning. There were even samples of vegan chocolate chili macaroons, which melted into sweet, chocolatey, warm bliss. I was most surprised however to find an ice cream stand where I could purchase vegan soy cherry ice cream which was the perfect treat to cut the heat of the peppers.

I also got to learn more about the science of spicy. Capsaicin is a molecule contained in peppers that causes the sensation of pain and temperature associated with spicy foods. I learned about pepper seed dispersal, plants that were in the same family, and why water won’t help when your mouth is on fire. In case you were wondering, water spreads the pain-causing spicy molecules around your mouth while the fats in milk can bind to the capsaicin, preventing the molecules from interacting with your pain receptors. There was a booth where i was able to smell pureed peppers and identify what the pepper would taste like. I was surprised to learn that most people preferred red peppers to green peppers, probably due to the higher sugar content.

Overall, I was really glad I went, even though I probably wouldn’t have gone on my own.