Any chef who’s worked with hot peppers will tell to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after handling the things. Capsaicin has this very endearing habit of being hard to was away with conventional soap and water, though. Just ask anyone who’s ever rubbed their eyes or used the restroom after cutting up a bunch of jalapenos, then given their hands a quick wash under the faucet. Twenty minutes later, the swearing stops as the burning wears off. This is why Marlin Bensinger came up with Chromtec’s Pepper Burn Anodyne (aka PBA). To test it out, I shot myself in the face with pepper spray and used the anodyne to alleviate one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever had.
Or maybe I didn’t. What really happened was I crushed up some habaneros, then went to the restroom after using the Pepper Burn Anodyne on my hands. Hey, I love my readers and all, but I’m not taking a blast of pepper spray in the face unless negotiations have failed during some sort of stand off or something. There’s a fine line between suffering for your art and convulsing on the ground praying the crying will stop.
I did exactly what the instructions dictated: I applied a generous amount of the Pepper Burn Anodyne to my hands, then rubbed them together until it created a lather. I then rinsed them in cold water and dried them off. Just to be extra sure, I repeated the process. By this time, I really had to go to the bathroom, so it was off to test the results. Disclaimer: In no way whatsoever are we endorsing you trying this test yourself.
I (and my junk) are happy to report the Pepper Burn Anodyne did a great job. It reduced the heat to a tolerable level and the mild burn was gone in minutes. Since I did this test awhile back, I’ve used it whenever I’ve handle anything spicy. I’ve even loaned it out to a friend who’d rubbed his eyes after cutting up some peppers. The anodyne has worked pretty well each time. It’s good to have around if you handle peppers on a regular basis.
PBA starts at $7.50 for four ounces. Sixteen and 32 ounce bottles are also available. If you want to order it, contact Chromtec LLC, at chromtec@bellsouth.net.
Latest posts by Mark Masker (see all)
- 2024 Scovie Awards Call for Entries - 07/07/2023
- 2024 Scovie Awards Early Bird Special: 3 Days Left - 06/29/2023
- 2024 Scovie Awards Early Bird Deadline Looms - 06/25/2023
