The Naga Jolokia Pepper - Hot Enough For You?

My last post was essentially a reflection of all the debate and controversies that exist when trying to state a claim for the world's hottest hot sauce. Well, when it comes to the chili pepper itself there is no controversy. The Naga Jolokia pepper is, at least for now, the world's hottest pepper. With thanks to Wilbur Scoville, the chemist responsible for developing the Scoville scale in 1912, we've had a precise, scientific method for determining the heat index of a chili pepper long before hot sauce became the obsession it now is. In 2007, the Naga Jolokia (also referred to as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich, King Cobra Chili - and others) dethroned the previous champ - the Red Savina pepper. Not unlike Buster Douglas coming out of nowhere to upset Mike Tyson in the peak of his career back in 1989, the Naga Jolokia absolutely obliterated the former Red Savina champ. Keep in mind, there are several factors that can impact the heat index of the fruits of an individual pepper plant - namely seed lineage, soil conditions and amount of water the plant receives during its' growth. With that in mind, the highest Scoville Unit measurement for the Red Savina was 577,000 S.U. - while the Naga Jolokia buried the needle at an amazing 1,041,427 S.U. The Naga Jolokia originates from the Assam region of northeastern India, but is now successfully grown internationally to help supply the demand for an increasing number of sauces, salsas, pastes and extracts prominently featuring the Naga Jolokia pepper. If you're brave enough to try a Naga pepper (or Naga product) - use caution! Remember, a glass full of cold water is not going to do you any good. Instead, have a big glass of milk on hand because milk contains a substance that helps diffuse and eventually wash away the capsaicin in the pepper that's causing the burn - although by no means does this provide instant relief. For that matter, why try a Jolokia in the first place if you don't want to experience and relish the burn. So for now the Naga Jolokia reigns supreme in the Guinness Book of World Records as the hottest pepper in the world, but as we know, records are meant to be broken. With all the brilliant chemists and botanists out there, I have little doubt that a new hybrid is in the works. Hmmmm, maybe in place of water they can keep the soil moist with The Source?? If you get a chance, check out my new website - Hot Sauces From A to Z (www.hotsaucesfromatoz.com). It provides a simple, yet thorough listing of the hottest sauces, salsas and peppers, and it provides links to several vendors for secure online ordering. Until next time, remember - "Pepper Power"!