A memorable dining experience

I know you are all chomping at the bit to find out who won the caffinated giveaway.  Soon my darlings. Soon. 

But first I must tell you a story about my favorite husband who nearly seared my tongue clean out of my mouth.  He made this delicious Latin American inspired stew, you see.  Being inspired by this recipe, which it seems was inspired by this recipe, it really lends itself to be personalized.  And my darling husband made it his own. 

Isn't that sweet?  He not only cooked it for me, but put in his own ingredients to taste.  And one of those wonderful ingredients happened to be a reconstituted dried habanero.  Delicious!  I like heat and we still have LOADs of dried peppers in our cabinets. Oh, but my sweet husband thought that one teeny little pepper, being so fragile when dried and having been boiled away in a stew, would simply fall apart and spread its heat evenly throughout the delicious and tangy red goulash. 

You know where I am going with this; you must. 

I happily returned home from whatever errands I was running to a kitchen that smelled so divine I could practically taste the food before entering the house. I immediately dove into my husband's Tuesday night masterpiece and finished my first bowl in minutes.

When food is this good, one full bowl, topped with sour cream is simply not enough. 

I returned to the kitchen for more of the tart and savoury nectar and ate with the vengeance of someone who had hours, nay, days of an empty belly. 

And then it happened. That one moment that changes an entirely fulfilling dining experience from insignificant to memorable.  

I had no idea what had happened.  I am certain for at least a moment Kyle thought it was a heart attack.  I started breathing deep quick breaths and I'm sure my face quickly turned the color of Hester Prynne's shameful uppercase "A". 

I had eaten the whole habanero. 

Two glasses of milk, and a week later I can tell you I've recovered. And I will again eat Mexican Red Lentil Stew, though never again with the passion of that very first bowl of the highly anticipated weeknight meal, made by someone who really means well.