"The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns yourself more than them.” — Chinese Proverb

Santa usually brings me some sort of gadget. This year is no different. I now own an automatic sorbet maker. The clever person Santa is, he knows next summer I am going to be looking for just such a tool when the peach harvest comes in.
Since we're not close to fruit season, the first recipe I try is a Mexican Chocolate Sorbet. This involves such things as Xanthan Gum and a lot of dark chocolate. The secret ingredient is chili peppers. Like the ones I grew last summer and have been drying on the counter. The process involves de-stemming and de-seeding chilies, then roasting them with cinnamon sticks. The peppers get pulverized into powder, while the cinnamon sticks go to work soaking in the sorbet. Chocolate, chocolate, and sugar with just a bit of a kick.
Having consumed a lot of coffee to ward off the evil spirits from the night before, I feel nature's call. This is when I learn that dried chilies have just as much capsaicin as chilies off the vine. Wash your hands frequently and keep them away from sensitive body parts. Don't scratch your nose, wipe your eyes, or, apparently, go to the bathroom.
The burning is immediate and intense. Looking up remedies, I can't imagine any of them being gracefully executed by someone with my age and flexibility issues. The last hint I read through watery eyes tells me I am not really being burnt, it just feels like it. Time will heal the burning sensations. The pain eventually dissipates.
Lesson learned.
The automatic sorbet maker did its job and I have lots of very chocolately, slightly spicy, Mexican Chocolate Sorbet. Or as I call it, The Last Mexican Chocolate Sorbet I ever made.
Happy New Year!
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