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Paracress

2009-01-06T20:06:44Z

68.54.167.228: New page: Acmella oleracea, also known under its old names Spilanthes oleracea and Spilanthes acmella, is a flowering herb in the plant family Asteraceae, also known as toothache plant or paracress ...

Acmella oleracea, also known under its old names Spilanthes oleracea and Spilanthes acmella, is a flowering herb in the plant family Asteraceae, also known as toothache plant or paracress as the leaves and flower heads contain an analgesic agent spilanthol used to numb toothache. It is native to the tropics of Brazil, and is grown as an ornamental (and occasionally as a medicinal) in various parts of the world. A small, erect plant, it grows quickly and sends up gold and red flower inflorescences. It is frost-sensitive but perennial in warmer climates.
Vernacular names
The English common name, toothache plant, is synonymous with the Swedish common name tandvärksplanta; both stem from the analgesic alkylamides the plant contains. The name paracress is in reference to the Northern Brazil state Pará.
It is known in French as brède mafane and cresson de Para, and in Portuguese as agrião do Pará and jambú.[1]
[edit] Culinary uses
For culinary purposes, small amounts of shredded fresh leaves add a unique flavour to salads. Cooked leaves lose their strong flavour and may be used as leafy greens. Both fresh and cooked leaves are used in dishes in parts of Brazil, often combined with chillies and garlic to add flavor and vitamins to other foods. A related species is used in several Southeast Asian dishes. Consumption of portions or whole flowers have been reportedly used to offset the intense heat of chillies and peppers.
[edit] Popular uses
A decoction or infusion of the leaves and flowers is recommended for stammering, toothache, stomatitis and throat complaints. Eating a whole flower bud results in an extremely strong tingling sensation accompanied by excessive saliva production.
[edit] Properties
The most important taste-active molecules present are the alkamides and especially, (2E,6Z,8E)-deca-2,6,8-trienoic acid N-isobutyl amide or spilanthol,

which is responsible for the trigeminal and saliva-inducing effects of products such as Jambu oleoresin, a concentrated extract from Paracress.[2]
Extracts using hexane of freshly harvested flowers of S. acmella were bioassayed against A. aegyptii larvae and H. zea (corn earworm) neonates. Mosquitocidal assays on A. aegyptii using spilanthol indicated that they were very active. Spilanthol had a LD100 (24 h) at 12.5 µg/mL concentrations and showed 50% mortality at 6.25 µg/mL.
The mixture of isomers of spilanthol showed a 66% weight reduction of H. zea neonate larvae at 250 µg/mL concentration after 6 days.[2]
Acmella oleracea has also been shown to have a strong diuretic action in rats.[3]
Acmella oleracea extract has been tested against various yeasts and bacteria and was essentially inactive.[4]
Besides the main active ingredient spilanthol, Acmella also contains stigmasteryl-3-O-b-D-glucopyranoside and a mixture of triterpenes.
The isolation and total synthesis of the active ingredients have been reported.[5]

French sorrel

2009-01-06T13:28:17Z

68.54.167.228: New page: Sorrel, French Botanical: Rumex scutatus (LINN.) ---Synonym---Buckler-shaped Sorrel. ---Part Used---Herb. ---Habitat---It is a common plant in mountainous districts, being a native of th...

Sorrel, French
Botanical: Rumex scutatus (LINN.)
---Synonym---Buckler-shaped Sorrel.
---Part Used---Herb.
---Habitat---It is a common plant in mountainous districts, being a native of the South of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Barbary.

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This has a more grateful acid than Common Sorrel, and is therefore preferred for kitchen use in soups, especially by the French. Their Sorrel soup is made from this species.
It is distinguished from the Common Sorrel by the form of the leaves, which are cordate-hastate, very succulent, fleshy and brittle. The whole plant is intensely glaucous. The flowers are hermaphrodite, thestamens and pistils not on separate plants as in the Common Sorrel.

It is sometimes met with in Scotland, or in the North of England, but is a doubtful native.

It is said to have been introduced into this country in 1596.

Garden sorrel, a popular culinary herb in the ancient world and a salad and vegetable plant in the West since the 14th century, is a bushy perennial that grows from 30 to 150 cm (1 to 5 feet) tall. French sorrel, used in France's kitchens since the beginning of that country's recorded history, is a low-growing perennial about 45 cm (18 inches) tall, although it can be as much as 60 cm (2 feet) wide. Garden sorrel is a native of Europe and Asia; French sorrel is native to the mountains of southern and central Europe and southwest Asia.
Garden sorrel has large, narrow, arrow-shaped green leaves that grow out from a thick basal cluster and are tinged with red when young. Leaves have a distinctive sharp, somewhat bitter, spinach-like flavor, with a tart citrus tang, the result of their high oxalic acid content. French sorrel has green, shield-shaped leaves that are more succulent and sharply acidic than those of garden sorrel, and have a pronounced lemon taste.
Garden sorrel has an erect, many-branched stem, and deep roots. French sorrel has either prostrate or ascending stems that form thick clumps, and a tough, branched rootstock.
Garden sorrel produces small reddish-green flowers. French sorrel produces small, green flowers, which turn reddish-brown later. In garden sorrel there are both male plants and female plants. Plants of French sorrel normally have flowers representing both sexes. Both sorrels bloom by midsummer.
French sorrel may be grown indoors for winter use.

USES
In traditional folk medicine, garden sorrel was used as an antiseptic. Because of its high vitamin C content, it was (correctly) believed to prevent scurvy. Roots and seeds were prescribed as a general tonic, and were used to treat diarrhea, a valid use because of the high tannin content. French sorrel was also used to cure scurvy, cleanse the blood, and promote urine flow. Sorrel was used externally to cure skin disorders and promote a clear complexion.
In addition to being rich in vitamin C, both sorrels are high in vitamin A, and are a good source of iron. French sorrel is also an excellent source of fiber.
Culinary uses - Sorrel is often used in French cooking, and is the main ingredient of such culinary classics as sorrel soup and soupe aux herbes. (Purists insist that only French sorrel may be used to make sorrel soup, but if you're just becoming acquainted with sorrel, you'd do well to substitute the milder garden sorrel.)
Add sorrel to your favorite spinach and chard recipes, and use it in omelets and soufflés, and in sauces, especially those accompanying, lamb, veal, pork, duck, goose, fish, and shellfish dishes. Sorrel is a tangy addition to early spring salads and mixed green salads. Whatever your recipe, use either sorrel sparingly, tasting as you go, as the sharp flavor does take getting used to.
Craft uses - Include dried garden sorrel blooms in floral arrangements and bouquets.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION
Both sorrels do best in deep, rich, moist but well-drained soil. The sorrels are fairly tolerant of a wide range of soil pH, although garden sorrel prefers acidic soils.
Both sorrels prefer full sunlight, but will tolerate partial shade. French sorrel is more drought-tolerant than garden sorrel.
Garden sorrel likes cooler temperatures. Hot weather increases the acidity of the leaves.
Grow both sorrels from seed, which should be planted directly in the garden in fall or early spring. Plant seeds 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep.
Space seedlings 30 cm (12 inches) apart.
Garden sorrel can also be propagated by root division; French sorrel by dividing well- grown clumps every third or fourth year.
Once established, garden sorrel tends to self-sow. As a couple of plants are usually sufficient for most home gardens, cull those you don't want.
Remove flower stalks of both sorrels to prevent plants from going to seed and to encourage tender new leaf growth.
Replace garden sorrel plants every 3 or 4 years, as they are inclined to become woody.
Sorrels are usually disease-free, but are susceptible to infestations of slugs.
Indoor French sorrel plants need at least 5 hours of strong direct sunlight daily. To accommodate its long roots, pot in a deep container of commercial potting soil. Feed with half-strength liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks.

SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
Garden and French sorrel should be consumed in moderation, as both are high in oxalic acid, which can cause kidney stones in some individuals. If you are prone to hyperacidity, you probably should avoid sorrel as its high acidity may cause gastric upset. If you suffer from gout or kidney stones, or if you have a history of kidney disease, you should not consume sorrel. Some authorities have also recommended that people afflicted with arthritis or rheumatism should avoid eating sorrel.
Don't cook sorrel in cast iron pots as the oxalic acid in the leaves will react with the metal, and the leaves will have an unpleasant metallic taste. Also avoid using aluminum cookware, as the oxalic acid could free toxic amounts of aluminum ions. Use stainless steel utensils and cookware when preparing sorrel.
Avoid sorrel tea because of the oxalates and also because sorrel acts as a diuretic.

COLLECTION AND HARVESTING
Harvest garden sorrel for fresh use throughout the growing season. If you prefer a more piquantly sour taste, hold off collecting the leaves until the plants are well into the growing season, at which point the flavor is fully developed.
Begin gathering French sorrel leaves for fresh use from newly sown plants about 2 months after planting. With such young plants, you can gather the shoots whole. As the plants grow, harvest individual leaves rather than whole stalks.
To preserve sorrel, wash and dry leaves, wrap in a sheet of paper towel, and refrigerate in a plastic bag. Although sorrels wilt quickly after picking, even wilted sorrel retains much of its distinctive taste.
To dry sorrel, lay leaves out flat in a dark, cool, dry place with good air circulation. Crush dried leaves and store in an airtight container.
To freeze both sorrels, wash and dry young leaves, wrap in foil, and place in freezer, or puree leaves and freeze in ice cube trays.
Cut flowering garden sorrel stalks for use in floral arrangements when the flowers are just turning red.

Primula veris

2009-01-06T00:48:01Z

68.54.167.228: New page: Cowslip Botanical: Primula veris (LINN.) Family: N.O. Primulaceae Description Part Used Medicinally Constituents Medicinal Action and Uses ---Synonyms---Herb Peter. Paigle. Peggle. Ke...

Cowslip
Botanical: Primula veris (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Primulaceae
Description
Part Used Medicinally
Constituents
Medicinal Action and Uses
---Synonyms---Herb Peter. Paigle. Peggle. Key Flower. Key of Heaven. Fairy Cups. Petty Mulleins. Crewel. Buckles. Palsywort. Plumrocks. Mayflower. Password. Artetyke. Drelip. Our Lady's Keys. Arthritica.
(Anglo-Saxon) Cuy lippe.
(Greek) Paralysio.

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Many of the Primrose tribe possess active medicinal properties. Besides the Cowslip and the Primrose, this family includes the little Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis), as truly a herald of warm summer weather as the Primrose is of spring, the Yellow Loosestrife and the Moneywort (Lysimachia vulgaris and Nummularia), the handsome Water Violet (Hottonia) and the nodding Cyclamen or Sowbread, all of which have medicinal value to a greater or lesser degree. Less important British members of the group are the Chaffweed (Centunculus minimus), one of the smallest among British plants, the Chickweed Wintergreen (Trientalis), the Sea Milk-wort (Glaux maritima), which has succulent salty leaves and has been used as a pickle, and the Common Brookweed or Water Pimpernel (Samolus).
The botanical name of the order, Primulaceae, is based on that of the genus Primula, to which belong not only those favourite spring flowers of the country-side, the Primrose, Cowslip, and their less common relative the Oxlip, but also the delicately-tinted greenhouse species that are such welcome pot plants for our rooms in mid-winter.

Linnaeus considered the Primrose, Cowslip and Oxlip to be but varieties of one species, but in this opinion later botanists have not followed him, though in all essential points they are identical.

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---Description---Quite early in the spring, the Cowslip begins to produce its leaves. At first, each is just two tight coils, rolled backwards and lying side by side; these slowly unroll and a leaf similar to that of a Primrose, but shorter and rounder, appears. All the leaves lie nearly flat on the ground in a rosette, from the centre of which rises a long stalk, crowned by the flowers, which spring all from one point, in separate little stalks, and thus form an 'umbel.' The number of the flowers in an umbel varies very much in different specimens.

We quote the following from Familiar Wild Flowers:
'It is a curious fact that the inflorescence of the Primrose is as truly umbellate as that of the Cowslip, though in the former case it can only be detected by carefully tracing the flower stems to their base, when all will be found to spring from one common point. In some varieties of the Primrose the umbel is raised on a stalk, as in the Cowslip. This form is sometimes called Oxlip; it is by some writers raised to the dignity of an independent position as a true and distinct species. . . . Primrose roots may at times be met with bearing both forms, one or more stalked umbels together with a number of the ordinary type of flower.'
The sepals of the flowers are united to form pale green crinkled bags, from which the corolla projects, showing a golden disk about inch across with scalloped edges, the petals being united into a narrow tube within the calyx. On the yellow disk are five red spots, one on each petal.
'In their gold coats spots you see,
These be rubies fairy favours
In those freckles lie their savours.'
The Midsummer Night's Dream refers to the old belief that the flower held a magic value for the complexion.
The origin of Cowslip is obscure: it has been suggested that it is a corruption of 'Cow's Leek,' leek being derived from the Anglo-Saxon word leac, meaning a plant (comp. Houseleek).

In old Herbals we find the plant called Herb Peter and Key Flower, the pendent flowers suggesting a bunch of keys, the emblem of St. Peter, the idea having descended from old pagan times, for in Norse mythology the flower was dedicated to Frcya, the Key Virgin, and was thought to admit to her treasure palace. In northern Europe the idea of dedication to the goddess was transferred with the change of religion, and it became dedicated to the Virgin Mary, so we find it called 'Our Lady's Keys' and 'Key of Heaven,' and 'Keyflower' remains still the most usual name.

The flowers have a very distinctive and fresh fragrance and somewhat narcotic juices, which have given rise to their use in making the fermented liquor called Cowslip Wine, which had formerly a great and deserved reputation and is still largely drunk in country parts, being much produced in the Midlands. It is made from the 'peeps,' i.e. the yellow petal rings, in the following way: A gallon of 'peeps' with 4 lb. of lump sugar and the rind of 3 lemons is added to a gallon of cold spring water. A cup of fresh yeast is then included and the liquor stirred every day for a week. It is then put into a barrel with the juice of the lemons and left to 'work.' When 'quiet,' it is corked down for eight or nine months and finally bottled. The wine should be perfectly clear and of a pale yellow colour and has almost the value of a liqueur. In certain children's ailments, Cowslip Wine, given in small doses as a medicine, is particularly beneficial.

Young Cowslip leaves were at one time eaten in country salads and mixed with other herbs to stuff meat, whilst the flowers were made into a delicate conserve. Cowslip salad from the petals, with white sugar, is said to make an excellent and refreshing dish.

Children delight in making Cowslip Balls, or 'tosties,' from the flowers. The umbels are picked off close to the top of the main flowerstalk and about fifty to sixty are hung across a string which may be stretched for convenience between the backs of two chairs. The flowers are then pressed carefully together and the string tied tightly so as to collect them into a ball. Care must be taken to choose only such heads or umbels in which all the flowers are open, as otherwise the surface of the ball will be uneven.

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---Part Used Medicinally---The yellow corolla is alone needed, no stalk or green part whatever is required, only the yellow part, plucked out of the green calyx.

---Constituents---The roots and the flowers have somewhat of the odour of Anise, due to their containing some volatile oil identical with Mannite. Their acrid principle is Saponin.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---Sedative, antispasmodic.

In olden days, Cowslip flowers were ingreat request for homely remedies, their special value Iying in strengthening the nerves and the brain, and relieving restlessness and insomnia. The Cowslip was held good 'to ease paines in the head and is accounted next with Betony, the best for that purpose.'

Cowslip Wine made from the flowers, as above described, is an excellent sedative. Also, 1 lb. of the freshly gathered blossom infused in 1 1/2 pint of boiling water and simmered down with loaf sugar to a fine yellow syrup, taken with a little water is admirable for giddiness from nervous debility or from previous nervous excitement, and this syrup was formerly given against palsy.

In earlier times, the Cowslip was considered beneficial in all paralytic ailments, being, as we have seen, often called Palsy Wort or Herba paralysis. The root was also called in old Herbals Radix arthritica, from its use as a cure for muscular rheumatisrm.

In A Plain Plantain (Russell G. Alexander) we read:
'Cowslip water was considered to be good for the memory, and Cowslips of Jerusalem for mitigating "hectical fevers." Mrs. Raffald (English Housekeeper, 1778) gives a recipe for the wine. "For the future," says the poet Pope, in one of his letters, "I'll drown all high thoughts in the Lethe of Cowslip Wine" (which is pleasantly soporific). Our Lady's Cowslip is Gagea lutea.'
The old writers give a long list of ills that may be remedied by application of the roots or leaves of the plant; the juice of the flowers 'takes off spots and wrinkles from the face and other vices of the skin,' the water of the flowers being 'very proper medicine for weakly people.'
Turner says:
'Some weomen we find, sprinkle ye floures of cowslip wt whyte wine and after still it and wash their faces wt that water to drive wrinkles away and to make them fayre in the eyes of the worlde rather than in the eyes of God, Whom they are not afrayd to offend.'
Formerly an ointment was made from the flowers as a cosmetic. Culpepper says:
'Our city dames know well enough the ointment or distilled water of it adds to beauty or at least restores it when lost. The flowers are held to be more effectual than the leaves and the roots of little use. An ointment being made with them taketh away spots and wrinkles of the skin, sunburnings and freckles and promotes beauty; they remedy all infirmities of the head coming of heat and wind, as vertigo, false apparitions, phrensies, falling sickess, palsies, convulsions, cramps, pains in the nerves, and the roots ease pains in the back and bladder. The leaves are good in wounds and the flowers take away trembling. Because they strengthen the brains and nerves and remedy palsies, the Greeks gave them the name Paralysio. The flowers preserved or conserved and a quantity the size of a nutmeg taken every morning is a sufficient dose for inward diseases, but for wounds, spots, wrinkles and sunburnings an ointment is made of the leaves and hog's lard.'
A later writer, Hill (1755), tells us that when boiled in ale, the powdered roots were taken with success by country folk for giddiness, wakefulness and similar nervous troubles for which the syrup made from the flowers was also taken.
The usual dose of the dried and powdered flowers is 15 to 20 grains.

From Hartman's Family Physitian, 1696:
'Another way to make Cowslip Wine
'Having boil'd your Water and Sugar together, pour it boiling hot upon your Cowslips beaten, stir them well together, and let them stand in a Vessel close cover'd till it be almost cold; then put into it the Yest beaten with the Juice of Lemons; let it stand for two days, then press it out with as much speed as you can, and put it up into a Cask, and leave a little hole open, for the working; when it hath quite done working stop it up close for a Month or Six Weeks, then Bottle it. Cowslip Wine is very Cordial, and a glass of it being drank at night Bedward, causes sleep and rest. . . .'
The Bird's-eye Primrose (Primula farinosa) is a plant of mountain slopes and pastures, and may be met with on the mountain ranges of Europe and Asia. It is not uncommon in the northern counties of England, though much less common in Scotland.
Gerard, in his Herball, says:
"These plants grow very plentifully in moist and squally grounds in the North parts of England, as in Harwood, neere to Blackburne in Lancashire, and ten miles from Preston in Aundernesse; also at Crosby, Ravensnaith, and Craig-close in Westmorland. They likewise grow in the meadows belonging to a village in Lancashire neere Maudsley called Harwood, and at Hasketh, not far from thence, and in many other places of Lancashire, but not on this side Trent' (Gerard writes as a Londoner) 'that I could ever have certain knowledge of. Lobel reporteth, That Doctor Penny, a famous Physition of our London Colledge, did find them in these Southerne Parts.'
Specimens of the Bird's-eye Primrose growing in the North of Scotland, in Caithness and the Orkney Islands, and in other localities bordering on the sea, vary from the typical form of the plant in being of stouter habit and much smaller, in having leaves of broader proportions and flowers of a deeper purple; and some botanists are inclined to distinguish this variety by creating it an independent species, and calling it the ScotchBird's-eye (P. Scotica), while others are content to consider it but a variety from the type, and label it P. farinosa, var. Scotica.
All the hardy varieties of Primula, whether Primrose, Cowslip, Polyanthus or Auricula, may be easily propagated by dividing the roots of old plants in autumn. New varieties are raised from seed, which should be sown as soon as ripe, in leaf-mould, and pricked out into beds when large enough.

Among the many splendid flowers that are grown in our greenhouses none shows more improvement under the fostering hand of the British florist than the Chinese Primula which originally had small, inconspicuous flowers, but now bears trusses of magnificent blooms ranging from the purest white to the richest scarlet and crimson. The Star Primulas, which have attained an even greater popularity in late years, are considered perhaps even more elegant, being looser in growth and carrying their plentiful blossoms in more graceful, if not more beautiful trusses. Both varieties are among the most beautiful of our winter-flowering plants, the toothed and lobed, somewhat heart-shaped leaves being extremely handsome with their crimson tints.

Seeds of these greenhouse Primulas should be sown in the spring in gentle heat, the soil used being very fine and pleasantly moist. The seedlings must be pricked off and potted out as necessary, with a view to ensuring sturdy, healthy growth.

P. obconica is a slightly varying type of these greenhouse Primulas, the leaves approaching more the shape of those of the common Primrose, the plants are exceedingly floriferous and graceful, the full trusses of delicate lilac flowers are borne on tall slender stems and care must be used in the handling of it, as the leaves sometimes cause an eruption like eczema. Homoeopaths make a tincture from this species.

The broad, thick leaves of the Auricula (P. auricula), a frequent garden plant in this country, though not native to Great Britain, are used in the Alps as a remedy for coughs.

In its native state the Auricula is said to be either yellow or white. It is the skill of the gardener which has brought it to its present purple and brown. It was formerly known as Mountain Cowslip, or Bear's Ears.

Chipotle

2009-01-05T23:57:34Z

68.54.167.228: New page: Mexican Grill. Heat: Hot (SR: 10,000-50,000) A chipotle (pronounced /tʃɨˈpoʊtleɪ/ chee-POTE-lay; Spanish IPA: [tʃiˈpotle][citation needed]) is a smoke-dried jalapeño chili used...

Mexican Grill.

Heat: Hot (SR: 10,000-50,000)
A chipotle (pronounced /tʃɨˈpoʊtleɪ/ chee-POTE-lay; Spanish IPA: [tʃiˈpotle][citation needed]) is a smoke-dried jalapeño chili used primarily in Mexican, Mexican-American, Tex-Mex, and Mexican-inspired cuisine.

There are many varieties of jalapeños which vary in size and heat. In Mexico, the jalapeño is also known as the cuaresmeño and gordo. Until recently, chipotles were almost exclusively found in the markets of central and southern Mexico. As Mexican food became more popular in the United States in the late 20th century and into the 21st century, jalapeño production and processing began to move into Northern Mexico and the United States.

Contents [hide]
1 Production
2 Varieties
3 Use
4 Etymology
5 References

[edit] Production

Chipotles, morita varietyTypically, a grower will pass through a jalapeño field multiple times, picking the best green jalapeños for market. At the end of the growing season, jalapeños naturally begin to turn red. There is an extensive fresh market for red jalapeños in both Mexico and the United States. Many U.S. growers disk the red jalapeños into the ground. They are kept on the vine as long as possible. When the jalapeños are deep red and have lost much of their moisture, they are selected to be made into chipotles.

The red jalapeños are moved to a closed smoking chamber where they are spread out on metal grills. Wood is placed in a firebox, and the smoke enters the sealed chamber. Every few hours the jalapeños are stirred to improve smoke penetration. The chiles are smoked for several days until most of the moisture is removed. At the end of the process, the chipotles have dried up in a manner akin to prunes or raisins. The underlying heat of the jalapeños is combined with the taste of smoke. Typically ten pounds of jalapeños make one pound of chipotle.

In recent years, growers have begun using large gas dryers. Some processors have even started to use liquid smoke. These techniques produce what most culinary experts believe to be an inferior chipotle chile.

[edit] Varieties

Chipotle chilis, meco varietyMost chipotle chiles are produced in the Northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. This variety of chipotle is known as a morita (Spanish for blackberry or black raspberry; literally "little purple one"). This is a description of how the chipotle looks. In central and southern Mexico, chipotle chiles are known as chile meco, chile ahumado, or tipico. Whereas moritas from Chihuahua are purple in color, chile meco is tan/grey in color and has the general appearance of a cigar butt. Almost all of the chipotle chiles found in the United States are of the morita variety. Almost all of the chipotle meco is consumed in Mexico, though some is exported to the United States, where it is generally available only in Mexican grocery stores.

Homemade chipotles en adoboChipotles can be purchased in many different forms, including chipotle powder, chipotle pods, chipotles en adobo in a can, concentrated chipotle base and wet chipotle meat marinade.

In addition to moritas, other varieties of chiles can be smoke-dried, including red jalapeños, serranos, habaneros, New Mexican chiles, Hungarian wax chiles, Santa Fe Grande chiles, and a milder jalapeño called the TAM Mild Jalapeño (a cultivar named for Texas A&M University). Lesser-known varieties of smoked chiles include: Cobán, a piquín chile native to southern Mexico and Guatemala; Pasilla de Oaxaca: a variety of pasilla chile from Oaxaca used in mole negro; Jalapeño chico: jalapeños, smoked while still green; and capones: a rare and quite expensive smoked red jalapeño without seeds. "Capones" translates roughly into "castrated ones."

[edit] Use
Chipotles are a key ingredient that impart a relatively mild but earthy spiciness to many dishes in Mexican cuisine. The chiles are used to make various salsas. Chipotle chiles can also be ground up and combined with other spices to make a meat marinade known as an adobo.

[edit] Etymology
This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008)

The word chipotle, which was also sometimes spelled chilpoctle and chilpotle, comes to English originally from the Nahuatl word chilpoctli by way of Mexican Spanish. The Nahuatl word chilpoctli means "smoked chile", an aglutination of chil(li) (="chile pepper") + poctli (="smoked"). The original Nahuatl word was spelled "pochilli" and has apparently become reversed[citation needed]). Other early spellings from Mexico are tzilpoctil, tzonchilli and texochilli[citation needed]).

Chilli pepper

2009-01-05T23:51:31Z

68.54.167.228: New page: Cayenne and Chili Powder Profile Also known as- Capsicum annum, Capsicum spp, Sweet Pepper, Hot Pepper, (Other varieties of cultivars include Paprika, African Bird Pepper, and Habanero) P...

Cayenne and Chili Powder Profile
Also known as- Capsicum annum, Capsicum spp, Sweet Pepper, Hot Pepper, (Other varieties of cultivars include Paprika, African Bird Pepper, and Habanero) PLEASE NOTE! Cayenne and Chili are the same thing and contrary to popular myth, the difference in their names have noting to do with either heat units or origins.

Introduction
The Capsicum family includes bell peppers, red peppers, paprika, and pimento, but the most famous medicinal members of the family are cayenne and chile. The tasty hot peppers have long been used in many of the world's cuisines, but their greatest use in health comes from, surprisingly, conventional medicine.

Constituents
1,8-cineole, 2-octanone, alanine, alpha-carotene, alpha-linoleic acid, alpha-phellandrene, arginine, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, betaine, campesterol, capsaicin, capsanthin, carvone, fiber, folacin, glutamic acid, hesperidin, isoleucine, isovaleric acid, kaempferol, manganese, myrcene, p-coumaric acid, potassium, proline, quercetin, scopoletin, solanine, thiamin, thujone, tryptophan, valine, zeaxanthin, zinc.

Parts Used
The fruit, fresh or dried, chopped or powdered.

Typical Preparations
Widely used in cooking. Most often compounded as a cream for external use, rarely brewed into a tea for internal use.

Summary
The burning sensation of hot peppers is a reaction of the central nervous system to capsaicin; unlike horseradish, wasabi, garlic, ginger, and mustard, capsaicin only causes the sensation of damage, not real damage to tissues. This sensation of pain, however, depletes a chemical called substance P, and when substance P is used up, the ongoing tissue damage of arthritis, shingles, cluster headaches, fibromyalgia, or lower back injury does not result in pain.
Eating hot peppers can also deplete pain chemicals in the stomach. Peppers do not actually cause heartburn or ulcers. They merely cause the sensation of pain, depleting substance P, so other conditions cannot cause pain. Eating foods seasoned with cayenne or chile may even protect the stomach against damage by aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAID pain relief medications.
Capsaicin creams can also reduce itching in psoriasis.

Precautions
Don't touch your eyes with your hands after you have handled capsaicin cream. Excessive use internally may result in gastro-intestinal upset.