There are two basic schools of thought on spicy food. They are the Machismo school, and the Gourmet school. Most people think of the Machismo school when they imagine someone who likes spicy food. The Machismo school thinks it’s a badge of honor to be able to eat the five alarm chili, at that small diner in Texas, where finishing the whole bowl means you get it free and your picture in the hall of fame. It’s kind of like the guy who crushes a beer can on his head to show how tough he is. Sure it’s impressive but most think it’s also rather uncouth. That’s how the Gourmet school thinks of the Machismo School.

The Gourmet school sees heat as a flavor not a rite of passage. They recognize that not all heat tastes the same. They also recognize that certain flavors mix well with heat and others do not. That’s why buffalo wings frequently come with Blue Cheese dressing. The two flavors complement each other. I like to put sour cream in my chili because I like the contrast in flavors. A member of the Gourmet school appreciates the subtleties of difference in a regular Jalapeno Pepper vs the Chipotle Jalapeno Pepper( a smoked Jalapeno Pepper). For the Gourmet spicy food lover variety, and contrasting or complementary flavors are the goal.

So what flavors go well with a spicy dish? There are two ways to approach preparing a spicy dish. They both go with a particular mood. You can go with the complementary blends of flavor or the contrasting flavors approaches. I like both.

Complementary blends tend to blunt the quick burn of a spicy dish. They mellow it out. Mild Cheeses or sweet fruits and vegatables can be used in this way. They idea is that instead of making the heat the main attraction it becomes just another flavor in the mix. If you want to cook a dish like this then make sure you don’t overdo the heat. If it overwhelms your complementary flavors then you’ve messed it up.

Contrasting flavors are all about giving your taste buds a dual experience. Two tastes in one. Cool creamy flavors work well for this approach like sour cream in chili. The key is to get a flavor that is directly opposite but not clashing. Usually the flavor ingredients are not cooked together since you lose a lot of the experience if your mouth can’t distinguish them seperately.

This is just a small look into the world of cooking spicy food but hopefully I’ll have sparked your interest a little.