Some like it really hot

There are only a couple of people I know that love hot sauce so much, they use it as a condiment on everything - Dayven and my dad. In Dayven's mind, it’s not "hot" unless you're sweating. If Dayven is cooking, even foods that really aren't intended to be spicy end up having a kick, like chicken noodle soup (seriously). The response is always the same when I ask him if it's hot. "Not to me!" he replies. My milkwater tongue begs to differ.

There’s a special tradition in Tennessee called “Hot Chicken”. It is, just as the name describes, fried chicken that is incredibly hot and spicy, but has no sauce. It ranges from "mild” (moderately spicy) to “CALL 911!” (only recommended if you have no plans for the next 12 hours). Exactly who serves the best hot chicken is a hotly (no pun intended) contested topic, much like barbecue in the south. Although each restaurant has slightly their own take on it, there are a few common, simple rules when eating it:

1. Don’t drink a carbonated beverage. The fizz just kicks up the heat. Try sweet tea (I prefer milk).

2. Always order one level below what you think you can really handle.

3. Thoroughly wash your hands well with soap and water after eating before you touch any part of your body. Do not break this rule, or you will be sorry.

Dayven and I have our own version of hot chicken. First, we batter our drumsticks and wings and bake them in the oven. Then we slather them up in our secret spicy sauce and throw them on the grill to finish, continually basting as they go. The result is a crispy, tangy yet spicy, sloppy, culinary masterpiece! About five minutes into the meal, I'm sweating profusely and my nose is running. Everytime I lick my lips, they burn like fire and I take a few more chugs of milk. Before it's all said and done, I've gone through about 20 napkins. Like so many of my gastronomical experiences, it is sometimes better in theory than execution. My tongue still felt like it had been torched a half hour after eating and the only thing that could really cool the fire was a nice bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream.