Why are Super Hots Called "Gourmet" Super Hots

Captain Caliente

Captain Caliente

Some folks refer to super hots as simply that. But to me, there is something much deeper here to consider. Super Hot peppers are not for everyone. At least in their raw form. However, they can be for everyone. They bring a flavor profile like nothing else on this planet. And these types of peppers are quite spectacular. Each super hot has a distinct flavor, once you get past the heat. What makes them "gourmet"? Simple. For my entire life I could go into virtually any restaurant and ask for a Jalepeno pepper. And if you go to a Mexican restaurant, it is likely that you could ask for an habanero sauce of some sort. There is no way to get the flavor of a gourmet super hot pepper at any restaurant. At least as a general rule. But are we not witnessing major corporations using ghost peppers and reapers in sauces? Sure the sauces they produce suck but they are moving in that direction. My experience is that there is nothing like a meal prepared with super hot peppers. You have to know how to cook with them.You have to know how to harness the heat and who your audience is. But it can be done. It should be done. This is where chefs are missing the mark. There are simply too many of us to ignore.
 
There are distinct flavors found in any super hot pepper. From the Habanero Savina, all the way up the chain. There is no such thing as a disgusting super hot pepper. Each one has a specific flavor. Sometimes this in fried, baked, smoked, dehydrated, etc... Our job, as chileheads, is to to educate the world about the benefits, taste factors and value of a super hot pepper. We are obviously doing a great job. Because corporate America is paying attention.
 
If there is an actual super hot pepper that you do not believe is a gourmet pepper, please explain why?
 
All due respect, you're the only one who seems to call them that. Don't get me wrong; I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I also don't think that all Superhots could be considered "gourmet." And, even in a case where I might think the term would apply, I still couldn't bring myself to use it without feeling like a douche.

Hth...
-rob
 
Ruid said:
Gourmet is an excuse to jack up prices. I wouldn't even call Aji Charapita gourmet.
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Can't argue the premise there. Certainly it is quite often a word bandied about as a means to hike prices.
 
Gotta chime in from my narrow perspective and offer that the same happens with police gear. Except the word is "tactical." 
 
A 50 cent cheap Bic pen writes well. But there are $10/$20 "tactical" pens that you can purchase that write the same. Old school jargon but "paint it black and call it tactical, you can triple your price."
 
Hmm. Idea just hit. I use dark/black peppers and make a "tactical gourmet" hot sauce... $$$$
 
CC,
 
Just poking a bit. Have fun, do your thing and "call'em like you see'em."    :cheers:
 
Never have I heard them called that until this thread.

And whomever calls them "gourmet" is not using the word properly.

gour·met
/ˌɡôrˈmā,ˌɡo͝orˈmā/Submit
noun
noun: gourmet; plural noun: gourmets
---a connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate.---
synonyms: gastronome, epicure, epicurean; More
connoisseur;
informalfoodie
"a restaurant lauded by the most discriminating gourmets"
---of a kind or standard suitable for a gourmet.---
modifier noun: gourmet
"a gourmet meal"
 
I'm going to bow out of this one again lol, I have a gourmet beer waiting. It even says gourmet in fancy script right above the word beer. It really makes me want to drink it. OOOOOH brewed with rocky mountain water.
 
I am out too.

Grandiosity tends to make me queasy, I think I need a Canada Dry.
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luvmesump3pp3rz said:
most people cannot tolerate the heat of superhot peppers but you must have discovered how to harness in that heat while bringing forth the flavor of these peppers enlighten us on how to prepare these for the average person. 
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It would be about the amount of pepper used and the type of "heat shield" used. Any fat like butter, cream, milk etc... or any simple sugar like fruit, or honey, nectars etc... Then create a well planned meal with the right heat level. I always ask the people I'm cooking for what their heat level might be. Then cook accordingly. I still use gourmet peppers in the meal.
 
Scoville DeVille said:
This whole thread has nothing to do with "gourmet" or "peppers".

It has everything to do with your lack of understanding of the English language.

Specifically the word "gourmet".

What a stupid topic for a debate. ✌️
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I do not understand why it comes down to some folks being so rude, snarky or even downright mean sometimes? It's a simple thread that really was not aggressive, angry or even geared toward anyone. If you do not like the content or do not understand what is being discussed then there is no reason for you to participate.
 
And yes, I am fairly well versed in the English language. I understand what a gourmet meal is and what it is comprised of. Like I said previously in response to your egg commentary. Yes, there are eggs that are actually better than other eggs. If I were making a gourmet meal that required eggs, there would be a choice and the right one would be to use free range farm eggs. They taste better, have more minerals, have more vitamins, are lower in cholesterol, more beta carotene. If you do not agree with those statements it just means that you are uneducated about chicken eggs. It does not change the truth about them. To me, there is no doubt that a super hot pepper brings a different flavor profile to any dish. It isn't just heat. Each pepper has a specific flavor. And there is a way to harness that flavor. So...I have no idea what the argument or the insults are about?
 
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