Wear gloves. I’m serious. I once touched my face after just one pepper. My eyes cried, my nose ran, and I looked like a spicy mess for an hour. Respect the capsaicin. It bites back.
Work in a well-ventilated room. When you grind them, tiny particles fly everywhere. Your family will cough. Your cat will sneeze. You’ll feel like a hot-sauce supervillain.
And if you mess up? Who cares. The peppers are free. You’re learning. Even a slightly moldy batch teaches you to be more careful next time. Plus, you got to play with fire—literally and figuratively.
So go on. Dry those cayennes. Make your kitchen smell like a chili factory. You’ll have enough heat to last through winter, all the way to next pepper season. And your future self will thank you with every tiny, delicious, volcanic bite.
