I’m a hot food freak, and when I’m in my cups been heard to boast that “it can’t be too hot.” Usually I walk the talk — there was a Balti Restaurant in Birmingham that briefly humbled me with a fireball appetizer, but I perservered and recovered to triumph over the entree.

A couple of nights ago, due to an unlikely set of circumstances (lack of foreknowledge, eating a tasty veggie stew in a dark room while watching a video), I had the opportunity to eat an habanero pepper whole.

I wouldn’t recommend it.