Jim's quiet musings . . .

Emberton is at it again with his piece about, "More stupid slogans."

This piece about Tabasco sauce runs hand-in-hand with my philosophy about our intentions being based on our beliefs and / or life experiences. So goes it with Tabasco....

The Tao of Tabasco (as told by a half breed Choctaw Indian and Mexican with a pinch of Scottish for good measure).

Emberton says, "How Tabasco could make your food taste like anything other than... Tabasco sauce, I'll never know."

The voice of a truly skoville challenged individual.

Taste is an acquired thing. Don't believe me? Go to a foreign country and eat samples of their food.

Sea urchin
Barong sauce
Balut
Eel
Mongolian dipping sauce
dog

I come from El Paso, Texas. People up here poke fun at how I smother food with sliced jalapeno peppers and Tabasco sauce (merely a one to a six on the Skoville Heat Unit 'SHU' scale for sissies). I'd choke to death if I had to eat something bland. Bland being anything NOT covered in peppers or sprinkled with a variety of available hot sauces, Tabasco being only one of many.

People have also asked me where I go for, "Good Mexican food." They think I am just being a smart-ass when I say.....

"Mexico."

A true Mexican restaurant would never survive in the states unless the majority of their customers were of Mexican origin. You won't find Menudo on the menu of an American based Mexican restaurant. Tripe soup to you gringos. A true hangover cure.

My experienced taste buddies have sampled the hottest of the hot. Ten of thousands and above on the SHU scale, to include marvels like the Golden Habanero, Bolivian Rainbow Fatalli Hot Lemon or the Brown Congo pepper. I've ruined whole meals by adding too much of the famous Habanero pepper.

In China I experienced the "HOT" side of the Mongolian Hot Pot that I would class as not just HOT, but lethal, for those of you who haven't read my vacation journal. Those unknown peppers floating in the pot looked reminiscent of the Thai sun pepper and upon experiencing a numb tongue and mouth and a nuclear glow once I swallowed, I uttered a response similar to Emberton's.

One who grows up in bland, probably eats bland. Me? I grew up in Spicy.

Therefore I am.

-Jeeem-