My tongue ruminated on memories of peanut sauce and bean sprouts, quickly tasting each dish with which it was presented and re-shelving the phantom platter for a later craving. When my eyes came to rest on the Spicy Green Curry, I knew my mouth had found what it wanted.

Something in me was telling me that this was the dish I should order, despite the warning label under the menu description advertising this as a “very spicy dish.” Or maybe precisely because of that label.

As I barreled my way through that burning sensation that was my breakfast, I wondered why on Earth I was doing this to myself. There was so much spice that I could barely taste anything else. There were hints of coconut milk here, and eggplant there, but mostly my mouth was a wasteland of curry on fire.

That got me thinking about my whole relationship with spicy food. I can’t say that I really like how it tastes. So why do I love eating it?

As a child, if I thought I saw even one speck of pepper in a dish, I wouldn’t eat it. I hated hot food. It burned. It hurt. I had good common sense. Except there was always this nagging part of me that said, “You are Jamaican. You are supposed to like spicy food.”

Nowadays, telling me that an item is superspicy is like dangling catnip in front of a cat. I have gulped chunks of wasabi, gobbled whole jalapeno peppers, and guzzled teaspoons of hot sauce on request. I make a great show of being unaffected by the fact that my head is imploding.

I think it goes along with some unrequited need for a rite of passage. I put it right up there with my extra piercings, substance experimentation, and tattoos. There is something about spicy food that says, “I am no longer a child,” even if it doesn’t quite say, “I am an adult.” I am subjecting myself to the pain simply to prove that I can do it.

Don’t we all have our little tests of self-mutilation? Like stalking around on stilettos for the entire day, or going through cramps with no Midol, or running the entire five miles even though the last six months have been spent lazily on the couch?

However much I have to suffer, it doesn’t look like I’m going to stop eating spicy foods anytime soon. The other day I ate half a block of cheese full of jabanero peppers. Yum.

If you’re feeling adventurous (or slightly masochistic), here’s a recipe for some Jerk Chicken that will scorch your tastebuds.

[photo from img.timeinc.net]

When I stumbled over this recipe, I fell off my chair. No, really. I have the bruises to show for it.

I don’t know about any of you, but I LOVE sushi (hard to tell, huh?). And, if you’re put off by visions of raw fish, don’t be! This is one recipe that won’t have ANYONE feeling squeamish. Unless you’re scared of scrummy food. Seriously. This is that good. And as a bonus (or not!) it won’t send you into a sugar induced coma like some other dessert sushi’s out there.

And if you’re still not convinced why you should make/convince someone else (Mom!) to make this sushi for you, well, then, let me change your mind.

In my adapted version, the ‘rice’ is made up of cashew nuts, honey and butter. Cashew nuts provide a good source of protein and fiber, and is also a good source of nutrients and minerals. On top of that, they also help maintain good cholesterol levels, protecting your heart. Sound good so far? Well, it gets better. Honey is rich in antioxidants (here’s a tip: the darker the honey is, the richer in antioxidants) and obviously, because of the fruit on top, there’s more good stuff!

The wasabi on the sashimi? (God, that’s bad.) This is super easy, and looks like you spent hours slaving away, when really, all it takes is about ten minutes.

Fruit Sushi (A.K.A. Fruishi)What You Need:

1/2 cup cashews (preferably roasted and unsalted)

1/2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp butter

Fruit of your choice to put on top

What To Do:

Step 1: Place ingredients (except the fruit) in a bag. Smash with a rolling pin until rice-like (think the consistency of big-ish breadcrumbs) Make sure the butter and honey are well mixed with the cashews.

Step 2: Press well into sushi molds, or ice cube trays.

Word to the wise: if you don’t make it as compact as possible, it’ll fall apart. Really press that stuff in there.

Step 3: Place in the freezer to set and firm up (20-30mins). Remove and garnish.

Garnishing Options: Any fruit. No, I mean it. Kiwi goes really well, as does strawberry, blackberry, banana, mango…it’s endless!

And there it is!

Enjoy!

You can even make a dipping sauce (see the website I found the original recipe on). Just watch out for the strange chopstick wielding pests. Grrr…