> wrote:

> I've been challenged by a friend to make a
> Habenero/Pineapple wine. The desired end
> result is a cooking wine that's just a little
> too potent to drink without dilution, and with
> some sweetness and pineapple flavor retained.
>
> I haven't found a recipe specifically for this,
> but I could wing-it and merge recipes for
> pineapple and jalapeño. I have several questions
> though.
>
> 1) Will the presence of a significant quantity
> of capsaicin hinder the fermentation process?

Not to my knowledge, but my recommendation is to
add it to the secondary.

> 2) Would fresh or dried peppers be best for this?

My choice is dried peppers because I have experience
with them.

> 3) Has anyone tried bottling a cooking wine like
> this with a pepper in the bottle?

No, but I wee no reason not to try it.

> 4) How many peppers would produce the desired level
> of heat? (slightly too hot to drink)

I use ground Red Savina Habeneros to season soup,
chili, spaghetti, etc. several times a week and
use the beveled end of a chop stick to measure it.
My goal is to get the flavor and not the heat.

In a cooking wine, you probably want the heat. For
that I would suggest a straight, heavily flavored,
pineapple wine with a fresh Habenero pepper (split
in halves or quarters, seeds and all) in each
bottle, and bottle aged for a few months. You can
always add more peppers.

As an afterthought, you could accomplished the
same thing by making a Pineapple/Habenero
marinade for broiling only - broiling removes
both the alcohol and the pepper heat.

Dick