The cook’s notes

Six ways to
coax out flavor.

Capsaicin brings heat. Technique reveals everything else.

Fresh

Slice into salsas, salads, relishes, and ceviche for brightness and crunch.

Blistering softens flesh, deepens sweetness, and adds char.

III

Drying concentrates fruit; brief toasting wakes aromatic oils.

Slow smoke transforms ripe jalapeños into deeply savory chipotles.

Salt, microbes, and time create tangy mashes with rounded complexity.

Capsaicin dissolves in oil. Warm gently and strain for a vivid condiment.