A cold day needs a hot soup.

[George K]

Mrs. George likes green bell peppers on her pizza. On Pizza Night, we get two pizzas - hers has peppers, and I'm good without.

Not that I dislike them (at all!), but just not on pizza.

And, don't make me post that picture of Denver pizza again.

[jon-nyc]

Comparison to other flavors. Note that some are measured in parts per million or billion, not trillion like green peppers.

The detection threshold for methoxypyrazines in green peppers—around 2–10 parts per trillion (ppt)—is exceptionally low and far lower than the detection thresholds for most flavor compounds in other foods. Here’s how it compares to some notable examples:

Methoxypyrazines (Green Peppers)
• Threshold: 2–10 ppt.
• Remarkable for its grassy, herbaceous, and earthy profile.
• Extremely potent, detectable in minuscule concentrations.

Other Notable Food Compounds:
1. Vanillin (Vanilla)
• Threshold: ~2,000–4,000 parts per billion (ppb).
• Sweet and aromatic, requiring much higher concentrations to be perceived compared to methoxypyrazines.
2. Capsaicin (Chili Peppers)
• Threshold: ~100–300 ppb.
• Spicy and pungent, but still detectable in significantly higher amounts than methoxypyrazines.
3. Isoamyl Acetate (Banana/Artificial Banana Flavor)
• Threshold: ~1,000–2,000 ppb.
• Fruity and sweet, often used in candy and drinks, but much less potent than green pepper compounds.
4. Allyl Isothiocyanate (Mustard/Wasabi)
• Threshold: ~1 ppb.
• Known for its sharp, pungent heat, it has one of the lower thresholds among pungent compounds but is still far above methoxypyrazines.
5. Geosmin (Earthy Flavor in Beets/Soil)
• Threshold: ~5–10 ppt.
• Similar in potency to methoxypyrazines, geosmin contributes earthy flavors and can be detected in extremely low concentrations.
6. Diacetyl (Butter/Popcorn Aroma)
• Threshold: ~0.05–1 ppm (parts per million).
• Detectable at a much higher threshold compared to green peppers’ methoxypyrazines.
7. Eugenol (Clove)
• Threshold: ~20–50 ppb.
• Spicy, warm, and aromatic, but less potent than methoxypyrazines.

Comparison Overview:
• Methoxypyrazines in green peppers are among the most potent food compounds, rivaling or exceeding the sensitivity thresholds of other highly potent compounds like geosmin or certain sulfur-containing compounds.
• The detection threshold for methoxypyrazines is thousands to millions of times lower than that of most common food flavors like vanilla, banana, or butter.

This explains why even a small amount of green pepper can dominate a dish, while much higher quantities of other flavor compounds are needed to have a similar impact.

[jon-nyc]

100x+ more detectable than fucking hot peppers.

Foul, foul weed.

[89th]

Love green peppers, including on pizza. Funny how tastes can vary. I love black licorice too (in moderation) whereas I know 80% of the population hates it.

Also @Copper i love the chunky Chili w/Beans option too. Usually have a few on standby on cold days where I want a quick chili lunch.

[George K]

@89th said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

I love black licorice too (in moderation)

YES!

[jon-nyc]

Me too.

[89th]

Must be positively correlated with intelligence.

[Mik]

I like all forms of licorice.

[Mik]

@jon-nyc said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

100x+ more detectable than fucking hot peppers.

Foul, foul weed.

Blasphemy. Hot peppers make cuisine sing.

[jon-nyc]

I like hot peppers. The foul weed is the puke green one.

[LuFins Dad]

How do the red and yellow peppers hold up on those flavor profiles?

[LuFins Dad]

Now I know what to serve when @jon-nyc comes for dinner…

[Mik]

@LuFins-Dad said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

How do the red and yellow peppers hold up on those flavor profiles?

The sweetness holds up fine. It's a great soup, and very adaptable to whatever you want to add. I might add a splash of sherry vinegar today and see how adding a little acid does.

[LuFins Dad]

@Mik said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

@LuFins-Dad said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

How do the red and yellow peppers hold up on those flavor profiles?

The sweetness holds up fine. It's a great soup, and very adaptable to whatever you want to add. I might add a splash of sherry vinegar today and see how adding a little acid does.

Lol, I meant with @jon-nyc

The soup really does look good. Karla’s been heavy into soups lately, so I forwarded the recipe.

[jon-nyc]

@LuFins-Dad said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

How do the red and yellow peppers hold up on those flavor profiles?

Nothing close. I put them in recipes quite often.

In fact I’ll substitute them in for the green ones.

[Mik]

I didn't use actual green peppers, but three kinds were green - poblano, anaheim and serrano. As usual, the soup is better today, but the heat from the serrano has amplified. That's great for me, but others might not like it so much.

[Jolly]

@jon-nyc said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

I like hot peppers. The foul weed is the puke green one.

My mother would probably have put diced bell peppers in cornflakes if we had let her.

[Jolly]

@LuFins-Dad said in A cold day needs a hot soup.:

Now I know what to serve when @jon-nyc comes for dinner…

Looks good to me. I like stuffed bell peppers, with either rice or cornbread stuffing.

I also like stuffed sweet banana peppers.

[Mik]

Making the Tricolor Pepper soup again today.

[89th]

Nice! Chilly here so I had chili.