Whole for Spices

[ShawnMull]

I'm going to be doing some traveling and I'll be in an area I won't be able to buy Habaneros but there is a dish I would like to make there.

I would be able to take ground items with me though which opens the question:

With hot sauce if the recipe has called for 12 whole habaneros how would I be able to substitute it for a ground alternative? I'm sure using the grounded alternative would be a less thick/creamy.

 

[jennyema]

What are you making?

 

[ShawnMull]

Hot Sauce, it's usually a creamy consistency with peaches, white vinegar, honey and 12 whole habaneros.

 

[jennyema]

I make hot sauce all the time from the peppers I grow in my garden, including habs. Peaches sound delicious!

I've never made a "creamy" sauce though.

That said, dry habernero powder will make your sauce cloudy and grainy. I love the stuff but it's not a very good sub for fresh peppers.

Whats your particular traveling situation?

 

[Dawgluver]

Could you dry/ dehydrate the whole peppers and take them with you? They probably have dried whole Habs in the Mexican food section as well. Maybe a prepared pure hab sauce would work.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Mail them to yourself, wherever you'll be staying. Probably best to use some kind of priority mail and keep them cold. Otherwise I don't know.

 

[jennyema]

Mail them to yourself, wherever you'll be staying. Probably best to use some kind of priority mail and keep them cold. Otherwise I don't know.

We need to know more about the travel situation.

You can't mail them if it's an importation issue.

If its not, there are probably several different alternatives.

 

[Dawgluver]

Hmm. Wondering if you could put fresh ones in a Foodsaver bag. They'd be fine for a couple days. However, if there's a produce sniffing dog like at some international airports, that might not work.

 

[salt and pepper]

Add about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum after it cools to room temp. It will thicken it an also it will give it a shine.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Hmm. Wondering if you could put fresh ones in a Foodsaver bag. They'd be fine for a couple days. However, if there's a produce sniffing dog like at some international airports, that might not work.

That's not ALL those dogs are sniffing for I'm sure.

 

[ShawnMull]

The travel will be long on an airplane, I don't think the habs would make the trip and where I'm going won't have any in the area. Even by mail the cold in my current area would kill them off pretty fast.

Dehydrating might work but I'm not sure if they will blend up nicely when they are a bit tougher. What do you guys think?

 

[Addie]

Well, if you are flying to a country outside the U.S. bringing food with you is not the best idea. At Logan, you can no longer buy even snack foods outside the Security area and then take them with you through Security. And unless you have a medical problem that requires a very special diet, you can't even bring snacks from home through Security. You would need a doctor's letter to do so.

If you are flying within the boundries of the U.S. you could pack the Habeneros in your suitcase in the middle of your clothing. Make sure they are pack in such a way that they don't leave any of their oils on your belongings. Just be aware that your luggage will be searched. If your trip is to Hawaii, they are very fussy about what foods you can bring in, even though they are part of the U.S.

They do have dog sniffers in Terminal E.

 

[GotGarlic]

Where are you going? It seems like you should be able to get something similar at your destination.

 

[Andy M.]

The travel will be long on an airplane, I don't think the habs would make the trip...

IF you pack fresh habs in your suitcase and fly out of Boston, the peppers will survive nicely for 24 hours or more. A little cold won't hurt them. Even if they suffered a little, fresh would still be your best alternative.

Logan security won't be a problem. They don't much care what you take out of the country. I pack food and kitchen knives in my luggage with no issues. About half the time TSA searches my luggage (I think because of the knives) but never confiscated any items.

The country you're flying in to may have an issue with your bringing in fresh produce. You can find that out easily enough and decide if you want to try regardless.

 

[jennyema]

Store them in vinegar and pack them in your checked baggage.

 

[jennyema]

At Logan, you can no longer buy even snack foods outside the Security area and then take them with you through Security. And unless you have a medical problem that requires a very special diet, you can't even bring snacks from home through Security. You would need a doctor's letter to do so. .

I bring my own food from home with me pretty much every time I fly out of Logan....

 

[Dawgluver]

That's not ALL those dogs are sniffing for I'm sure.

True. What I've seen in some airports is beagles being in charge of meat and produce sniffing. Shepherds for the other stuff.

Shawn, dehydrating will give you a leathery texture, if you don't overdo it. The vinegar idea in checked luggage would work too. Whether fresh, dried, or pickled, I would probably put them in the checked luggage.

 

[Addie]

I bring my own food from home with me pretty much every time I fly out of Logan....

Then they must have changed their policy again. Someone probably raised a hue and cry. My daughter's first floor tenant works for the Oceanic folks in Woods Hole. He does a lot of his work out in the waters surrounding the airport. He brought home the airport news one day and the policy of not being allowed to bring food from home was the headline. My daughter saved the paper for me. It was just before my last trip to see Netta. Glad for the change. On long trips some diabetics have to eat several small snacks. I no longer make long trips.

 

[jennyema]

Then they must have changed their policy again. Someone probably raised a hue and cry. My daughter's first floor tenant works for the Oceanic folks in Woods Hole. He does a lot of his work out in the waters surrounding the airport. He brought home the airport news one day and the policy of not being allowed to bring food from home was the headline. My daughter saved the paper for me. It was just before my last trip to see Netta. Glad for the change. On long trips some diabetics have to eat several small snacks. I no longer make long trips.

I'm going to Chicago next week do I'll let you know.

My mom and I went to Paris in October and I brought a lot of snack-type food with us. I'm still eating it!

 

[Addie]

I'm going to Chicago next week do I'll let you know.

My mom and I went to Paris in October and I brought a lot of snack-type food with us. I'm still eating it!

I hope the weather out there improves for you. Happy traveling.