Sorry, no festivals here.
It’s wise to know what you’re getting yourself into before you pop a pepper in your mouth. Some of these pungent pods, such as the Carolina Reaper and the Bhut Jolokia (aka the Ghost Pepper), are high up on the Scoville scale, which measures the number of Scoville heat units (SHU) in peppers. Translation—if you don’t know what you’re eating, get ready to sweat. Many peppers and pepper products are showcased and celebrated at pepper and chile festivals across the United States, such as the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And don’t worry, you’ll find some mild peppers at these scorching events, such as the jalapeño. That’s right, the jalapeño is pretty mild when compared to the Carolina Reaper.