For example, he tested chili eaters by gradually increasing the pain, or, as the pros call it, the pungency, of the food, right up to the point at which the subjects said they just could not go further. When asked after the test what level of heat they liked the best, they chose the highest level they could stand, “just below the level of unbearable pain.” As Delbert McClinton sings (about a different line of research), “It felt so good to hurt so bad.”[end of quote]
And I experienced something similar last night.
I tried a smallish sized very ripe red habanero and really enjoyed the subtle burn in my mouth.
Enjoying the burn so much I tried another similar sized Hab and enjoyed it as well.
I even commented to my wife how much I was liking the burn.
Later, I tried a large red Habanero, and though the heat came on very slowly at first, it continued to build to the point that it was becoming uncomfortable, and I wouldn't say that I was really enjoying that burn, as much as I was just barely tolerating it.
dvg