Spicy and Spicy Hot? Not the Same!

I think there is a confusion between spicy and spicy hot. It is a pet peeve of my sister and I am in agreement with her. I don't seem to get as upset as much as she does but I do agree with her.

Spicy does not mean it has heat (like a jalapeno, or other similar heat producing plant). There are a lot of things that are considered spices or spicy but have no heat to them at all. There are a lot of spices out there that are used to give flavor to foods but not always heat. Spices can be used to keep food from tasting 'bland' (it seems some like it that way but I am not one of them). There are spices from all over the world.

Spices Inc has a lot of spices but only a few of them have any heat. The site is for those who buy in bulk.

Wikipedia has a good definition of a spice.
'A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Many spices have antimicrobial properties. This may explain why spices are more commonly used in warmer climates, which have more infectious diseases, and why the use of spices is prominent in meat, which is particularly susceptible to spoiling.^[1] Spices are sometimes used in medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics or perfume production, or as a vegetable.' (copied from the site). 

Spicy hot does mean it has bit to it. It can vary from a little to a lot. It also depends on the person eating it and their level of tolerance of the heat. It seems some can take the heat while others cannot. Most seem to fall in between those two extremes. 

There is a 'spicy heat' scale or the Scoville scale; information of which I found at Wikipedia. Chili World seems to have information on the Scoville scale too. 

TomLeeM

My Art Store at Cafe Press.