For my first interactive experience I want to talk about my experience at Smoke Eaters in Santa Clara, California. Just a bit of background first, I am a HUGE fan of a show on the Travel Channel called Man v. Food. In the show the host, Adam Richman, travels around the country attempting food challenges. At each city he features a total of 3 restaurants, only one of which he attempts a challenge at.
In the San Jose, California episode he goes to a place called Smoke Eaters where he attempts the Hellfire wing Challenge. This challenge consist of the challenger eating 12 habanero hot wings. The challenger must eat all 12 wings in 10 minutes, during the challenge (and 5 minutes after) the challenger can NOT drink anything or wipe any sauce off of them, after they are done with all 12 wings the challenger must lick all the sauce of off their fingers and remain with the pain for 5 minutes. If they complete the challenge they get a t-shirt and their picture on the wall of flam.
I, foolishly, decided to attempt this challenge. I love spicy food, and I figured it would be no big deal. I go to Hooters all the time and get their "spiciest" wings with little effect to me. What I did not factor in was the fact that I had no experience with habaneros. The spiciness of a pepper is measured on the scoville scale... to put it into perspective on the scoville scale a jalapeño falls in the range between 2,500-8,000 where as the habanero can fall between the range of 100,000-350,000. I was completely oblivious to the difference in the spices prior to taking the challenge.
After ordering the wings, which required to fill out a waiver, I anxiously awaited my wings. Once I got them I was overwhelmed with the look, and consistency of the sauce. It had a heavy smell, where it would send shivers down your spine with a deep inhalation. The wings where swimming with the sauce and the wings where covered in about an inch of sauce. The moment of truth had arrived and it was time to take my first bite. The wings where hot and my hands burned a bit when holding it, after taking my first bite it hit me as to how ridiculous these wings where. I knew that to beat the challenge I had to eat fast. The sauce gets everywhere after biting in. All over your mouth, fingers, hands. Your lips and tongue start to tingle and your body starts to sweat. I was able to get through 2 wings without feeling the burning sensation on my mouth and in my throat. It was when I bit into the third wing where I knew I was not going to make it. I could barely manage the burning feeling on my lips and inside my mouth. I finished the third wing and made the foolish mistake of taking a break. The break gave my body the chance to fully accept what was going on. I thought about attempting a fourth wing, but I could not. All I could smell was the fumes from the sauce, I knew I had to give up and get the sauce off of my face and hands. I threw in the towel and took out the quart of milk that I bought from the Safeway next door.
The aftermath of the wings effected me for 3 days. For 5 hours after the wings I threw up. My body completely rejected the sauce and did not want to digest any of it. I had a sore throat for 3 days and nothing that I ate for about 2 had any taste to it. I also had very uncomfortable bowel movements (I am saving you from a lot of detail). The sensation that I had from food that day was amazing, it really put my senses into perspective and taught me a valuable lesson, DONT attempt spicy challenges unless you have trained yourself in that spice.
During Adam Richman's visit to Smoke Eaters he was able to complete the challenge, and now every time I see that episode I have a new found respect for the difficulty of his task.
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