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Alex Rast
 
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Default Cayenne vs. Chili Arbol... any difference?

at Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:27:50 GMT in >, spope33
@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote :

>I sometimes buy powdered Chili Arbol from a local store;
>in my experience it is identical in color, hotness and
>flavor to cayenne. Wikipedia says the are the same biological
>species.


From a flavour standpoint, Arbol tend to have a flatter, "woodier" flavour
than Cayenne which is "fruitier". From a heat standpoint, the crucial thing
isn't the power but the intensity profile. Arbol, a little like Thai
chiles, comes on right away with a recognisable, intense "spike", so that
right away you're jolted to life. Then it subsides gradually before
building up to moderate heat at the end. Meanwhile, Cayenne is more
consistent and insistent with its heat, much more like a defensive lineman
in football, pushing you back, back with irresistible force. It just stays
at the same, medium-high level. That level isn't as momentarily intense as
that quick Arbol spike, but it lasts much longer, so the impression of hear
may be more. Added to food, then, Arbol is better if the idea is to create
interest without overwhelming the taste of other things. Cayenne is better
when the idea is heat without mercy or when you want the flavour of the
chile itself to be the keynote.

How this will play out in powdered chili is a little different, I think.
The flavour characteristics won't be as prominent, so it will be the
differences in how the heat manifests that will dominate.


--
Alex Rast

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