36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY july 4-10, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Keely Richter eyes the sandwich with trepidation. It is just fried chicken topped by slaw and sauce between a bun—nothing unusual. But there is something menacing about the dish. “It looks like it wants to hurt you,” Richter explains while keeping her distance. The sandwich in question is a high-octane version of Nashville hot chicken not yet on the menu at Heatwaves, the Pacific Grove pop-up that occupies Rudolfo’s every Sunday. Richter is the Weekly’s business development director, part of a small staff gathering to gauge the differing perceptions of spicy heat. As Oxford psychologist Charles Spence noted, there is greater individual variation in the reaction to fiery foods than perhaps any other type of cuisine. In a 2018 article published by the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, “Why is Piquant/Spicy Food So Popular?” Spence observed that the question has not received the research interest it deserves, adding that a quarter of all people on the planet consume chiles on a daily basis. Indeed, in his book How Pleasure Works, Paul Bloom pointed out, “Philosophers have often looked for the defining feature of humans—language, rationality, culture and so on. I’d stick with this: Man is the only animal that likes Tabasco sauce.” There is an assumption that piling on heat smothers other flavors. Chef Rudolfo Ponce of Heatwaves pampers his chicken. It’s brined for 12 hours and dredged through two different seasoned flours. As our impromptu tasting panel agreed, the mild version is very good fried chicken. Things changed from that point, however. Richter bowed out when the medium flared beyond her threshold level. Reaching the hot, associate editor Erik Chalhoub reports that his palate still sensed chicken and the base seasonings—for a moment. Soon, however, his face took on a more than flushed hue. “The mild and the medium I could do all day,” he says after a bit of recovery time. Those who survived the hot version could pick out the fruity fire of habanero and the earthier bite of cayenne. “Clucking hot” includes such fearsome chiles as the Carolina Reaper, approaching the surface of the sun at some 2.2 million Scoville Units. Jalapeños, by comparison, rate a relatively cool 8,000 or so. The off-menu (for now) chicken blasts the palate. Still, the creamy note of the meat itself hangs on, until it also is swept away in the inferno. Yet as graphic designer Kevin Jewell says, “I can distinctly taste different chiles.” It’s an interesting observation. In fact, scientists tell us—or try to, anyway—that spices and chiles are not actually hot. Capsaicin, the ignition source in chiles, merely triggers receptors that intend to prevent us from scorching our mouths. “This pain is nothing more than an illusory side effect of our confused neural receptors,” biologist Roberto Silvestro wrote in The Conversation. Could have fooled several of the Weekly’s staff. This mixed reaction has been observed by staff at Rudolfo’s and Heatwaves. Some guests come to the restaurant specifically for the experience. There is an aspect, researchers hypothesize, of thrill-seeking in the desire for hot stuff. Other diners struggle and sweat before succumbing. Interestingly, studies suggest that tolerance of—and even craving for— spicy heat can be learned. An experiment with capsaicin on identical and fraternal twins published in Physiology & Behavior could not definitively settle whether DNA plays a role (genetics are responsible for between 18 and 58 percent of spice tolerance, according to the report), but research does indicate personality and environment are key. As Spence observed, “No one, after all, is born liking spiciness. Rather, people learn to like the oral burn associated with eating moderately hot chile peppers.” It should be noted that staff writer Celia Jiménez, who was raised in Mexico, sailed through all four heat levels. “When I was a kid we would play ‘who can eat more chiles,’” she recalls. After years of living north of the border, Jiménez admits to a changing palate. “I can’t handle the heat like I used to.” Still, she was quick to snap up the last bite of “clucking hot” chicken. First course Which one of these Nashville hot chicken sandwiches from Heatwaves in Pacific Grove is too hot to handle? We put the question to the test. Big News…It’s been a long wait, but Solstice has opened in Big Sur. Chef Tim Eelman and his team tested the brunch menu on back-to-back weekends and wrapped up three days of soft-opening dinner service on June 29. The restaurant features fresh, seasonal ingredients (and plenty of local seafood), indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a cocktail lounge. It is the centerpiece of The Village, which is also home to the coffee shop Bodega. 46840 Highway 1, Big Sur. 667-1700, thevillagebigsur.com. Big Win…Grasing’s is one of four restaurants worldwide to earn the 2024 Grand Award from Wine Spectator. The award is considered the highest honor for a restaurant’s wine selection. The magazine cited Grasing’s wine director Eric Ewers for making an already-impressive cellar even more so. The Carmel establishment is joined by San Francisco’s Lazy Bear, as well as Le Bistro de l’Hotel in Beaune, France and The Yeatman near Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. 6th and Mission, Carmel. 6246562, grasings.com. Summer Fun…Dirty Girl Plant Co. and 831 Beach Kitchen are kicking off summer with a neighborly bash on Sunday, July 7 from 10am-5pm. 831 Beach Kitchen will be serving up a loaded tater tot and mac ‘n’ cheese bar, as well as a special grilled cheese and more. 1098 Del Monte Ave., Monterey. 869-8676, 831catering.com. Volo Di Vino…If you can’t catch a flight to Italy this summer, you can at least catch a flight of Italy. La Balena is serving flights of five Italian wines with Italian bar snacks for $25 every Saturday this summer from 1:304:30pm. Junipero between 5th and 6th, Carmel. 250-6295, labalenacarmel.com. Happier Hours…Who says nothing good ever happens after 7pm? The Annex has extended its hours so you have more time to enjoy wine by the glass, bottle or flight. Monday, Thursday and Friday from 3-9pm, Saturdays from 2-9pm, and Sunday from 2-8pm. 7th and Dolores, Carmel. 309-9463, theannexcarmel.com. Beyond Boba…In addition to offering a wide selection of boba teas, Congo Go also serves a selection of small bites (haven’t seen crab puffs in a while), plus heartier fare like stir fry and rice bowls. 800 Broadway Ave., Seaside. 202-1829, congogobobacafe.com. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “The mild and the medium I could do all day.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Hot Enough? Spicy heat is popular in food worldwide, but how people react to it varies greatly. By Dave Faries
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