With Cheryl Smith on chile burnQ: What's the best way to stop chile burn?
A: Rather than go with dairy or bread, I go with sugar. A spoonful of sugar pulls the heat from your mouth faster than liquids like milk--I find it more effective that way. If I'm serving hot food, a refreshing sweet drink will do the trick. But balancing your meal is very important. The worst thing to do is to make your dish so hot that you need a jug of lemonade to wash it down.
If you're new to peppers, it's good to distinguish between hot and sweet peppers. Sometimes people think the redder the pepper, the hotter it is, but that's not the case. You can usually distinguish by smell. Scratch the stem and if it smells spicy, then it is. You can also cut into the chile and taste the membrane. In most peppers, heat comes from the seeds and membrane. If you are heat sensitive, for heaven's sake, forget scotch bonnets and habaneros! They are all-around hot.
When working with peppers, wear rubber gloves and remember that oils can get on hands and spray everywhere. Do not wipe your face with the back of your hand, even if you are being very careful. Sometimes the spray can travel a foot! After handling, rub your hands with some lemon juice and wash your hands several times in warm, soapy water.
-From a Food Network online chat
