Ghost(Pepper) Traditional Cache
RecipeForDisaster: It pains us to do this, but the cache has been compromised twice and there aren't a lot of alternative sites for the cache. We might put something completely different here but that would be a new cache. Thanks to all who paid respects here.
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Scituate Historical Cemetery #5, Brownell lot. Thirty burials with the newest stone from 1903.
Quick park and grab. Dawn to dusk caching only. Easiest access is a slope on the right, so you don't have to climb the wobbly wall. Cemetery is in great shape, though! Coordinates taken with a Magellan GPSr. Hide is a small camouflaged Lock & Lock with room for small trackables. Please rehide as found to prevent muggling.
The Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper was the hottest pepper on record until recently(it's the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion now). It was probably given the name "Ghost Pepper" because of the way the heat sneaks up on the one who eats it. It has wrinkled, rough skin and boasts about a million Scoville units(a measure of a pepper's spiciness; jalapenos are about 3,500-8,000 Scoville units)and that's not an exaggeration. In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or incorporated in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance. I grow this pepper and many others; I love to eat them as often as possible. The only problem is that hot peppers vary in their "heat" depending on the climate they are grown in: a plant in my garden would produce much hotter peppers if grown in a warmer part of the world. I've been known to put hot sauce on hot peppers and eat Scotch Bonnets raw. One reason for people to enjoy very spicy food is that it releases endorphins. Here are some fascinating facts about capsaicin:
-The capsaicin in the chili pepper is responsible for the burning sensation. There is no physical damage to the tissue; the burning sensation is just a chemical reaction with the neurological system. The highest concentration (60%) of capsaicin is in the white pith to which the seeds are attached, and to a lesser degree (40%) in the seeds and other parts of the flesh.
-Capsaicin is an alkaloid oil, soluble in acid, fat or alcohol. It is not water-soluble.
-Capsaicin is used topically as a pain reliever and is being studied as a treatment for many other conditions.
- Drinking cold water will initially quell the burning pain due to physical coolness of the water, but water will distribute the capsaicin all throughout the mouth and throat, causing more pain once the water is swallowed.
- Casein in dairy products acts as a detergent and dissociates the capsaicin from nerve receptors, allowing it to wash away. Casein is precipitated in cultured dairy products and works more efficiently than Casein in milk.
- Sugar neutralizes the burning sensation efficiently.
So, the best thing to do when eating something too spicy is not to down a bunch of water, but chew on some bread or, even better, eat sour cream.
The background image is a diagram of the capsaicin molecule.
In your log, please tell us about the hottest thing you've ever eaten!
First to Find gets something to prevent a different type of burn(since food is prohibited-boy, did I want to put some hot sauce in there!): sunscreen!
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