Never...

Scratch your nose after cutting up a jalapeno pepper! :eek:

Thom really better appreciate that dressing for fish taco salad tonight!

Veronica

What about scratching your eyes?

Fortunately it was my nose that was itchy, not my eyes, and apparently I inhaled some of the capsicum because the entrance to my nose was on fire!

Veronica

And here's another useful tip: Take out your contacts BEFORE cutting up the serranos! Do not ask me how I know this.

My DH once made the mistake of going potty after cutting jalapeños. He *thought* (wrongly) that he'd washed his hands well enough! :eek:

oh oh ouch... I found out the hard way that even scratching your EAR is a bad idea. I swear, capsicum comes complete with a tiny needle.

A friend of mine taught me a good tip, though. Rub your fingertips liberally with cooking oil first, to saturate the pores or something. I wipe off the excess with just a paper towel afterwards. After I'm done handling the chili or jalapenos I wash my hands well with soap. I think it cuts down on the amount my skin absorbs.

I put Neutrogena soap in my nose. I don't know why it worked, but it did.

Veronica

Ouch! I use gloves whenever I handle them. With contacts, I don't take chances!

I've washed my hands several times and I just licked some yogurt off my finger. Black cherry yogurt and jalapeno - very "interesting" combination. I hope it wears off by the time I need ta take my contacts out!

Veronica

Be careful!!! I stupidly used my thumbnail to scrape out the seeds of a jalapeño pepper - it burned for days.

Pretend it's 80-weight gear oil, without the smell. Hand cleaner designed for the garage takes it right off.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Pretend it's 80-weight gear oil, without the smell. Hand cleaner designed for the garage takes it right off.

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But you can't use garage hand cleaner in your eyeballs.
I too have learned the lesson. Have also gotten dry potassium permanganate in my eyes, in the field. :mad:

Awww, you guys are lightweights! Try doing any of the above with habaneros, the most common chili peppers we have down here in Belize. Don't ask me how I know this!! :p :eek:

Heat ratings of different kinds of peppers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scovill...ngs_of_peppers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmccasland

But you can't use garage hand cleaner in your eyeballs.

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But the hand cleaner washes off just fine with soap and water. Then you can put your fingers in your eyeballs all you want. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

Try doing any of the above with habaneros, the most common chili peppers we have down here in Belize. ... Heat ratings of different kinds of peppers:

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Just like "predicted heart rates" - those are averages over the varieties. The jalapeños I grow in my garden are hotter than grocery store habañeros. The habañeros I grew one year ... I took one bite of a green one early in the season, figuring the weather had been cool so far and it wouldn't be terribly hot. :rolleyes: I think my entire face melted. I didn't try that again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Just like "predicted heart rates" - those are averages over the varieties. The jalapeños I grow in my garden are hotter than grocery store habañeros. The habañeros I grew one year ... I took one bite of a green one early in the season, figuring the weather had been cool so far and it wouldn't be terribly hot. :rolleyes: I think my entire face melted. I didn't try that again.

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The jalepenos down here are wimpy, but I've definitely had much hotter ones before. The habaneros down here are HOT HOT HOT! My fingers sting for days after I chop one. :(

So, I make my DH do it! :D