9 Lansing Area Menu Items That’ll Melt Your Face Off
I will be the first to admit that I have a low tolerance for spicy foods. It's not that I don't like the bold flavors, it's more so that my internal organs will revolt against me if I try to eat anything spicier than a biscuit.
According to a recent survey, I'm in the minority. Around 80% of Americans enjoy something spicy at least once a week. Even my youngest son (who was born without a sense of smell--and therefore a greatly reduced sense of taste) can chomp a jalapeño, seeds and all, and not even flinch.
It's not just jalapeños and tabasco sauce that cause some of us to turn red, start crying and scramble for a glass of milk to cool our tongues. Anything with capsaicin in it can light us up - ingredients like chili peppers, sriracha, wasabi, ginger and horseradish are other common spices that chefs will use to increase the heat level in our favorite dishes. And let's not forget the peppercorns. Oh, the peppercorns.
Something I've learned - drinking something acidic like lemonade, orange juice, or even tomato juice can help combat and neutralize the spiciness if you happen to encounter something a little too hot for your liking.
Again, I realize I'm in the minority, so for you Mid-Michigan spice fiends out there, I asked members of the "Lansing Foodies" Facebook group to tell me what they thought Lansing's spiciest menu item was. They didn't disappoint! Here are their thoughts, along with one that I decided to put on the list myself after discovering it by accident.