Chile lovers are – well, we’re special. Unlike almost every other animal on this planet, we willingly eat something that burns our mouths. How cool is that?

At the Chile Trail, we’d say it’s pretty darn cool. But remember folks, that while capsaicin – the alkaloid found especially in pepper seeds and ribs – can make you feel warm all over, not every chile is a five alarm fire. Chiles are different, just like people, from chipotles with their sexy smokiness to habaneros with their slap you across the face, citrusy punch. And they’re good for you. Low in calories, and full of vitamins like A, C and E. Don’t you feel better already?

But the most important reason to eat chile – and a lot of it – is because it tastes blooming brilliant. It makes everything – well almost everything – taste better (full disclosure: we haven’t tried it on breakfast cereal. Yet).

Los Chileros has been fuelling this great country’s chile fire since 1981, which is right around the time the great pyraminds were built in Egypt. So, a long time, okay? For our kindred chile spirits, we share some of our favorite recipes, right here on the Chile Trail.

It’s our way of spreading the chile love. Honest.

Speaking of, did you know that honest Abe Lincoln slept with a chile pepper under his pillow at night?

*Okay, this might not be 100% true…