The Lane County Farmers Market will host Pepper Fest, Sept. 18, as part of the monthly Thursday Night Market. The “Nightshade to Remember” event will raise awareness of the variety of peppers available at the farmers market, and feature a chile-eating contest to test tolerance for capsaicin-induced pain. About 50 pepper varieties will be available for sale, along with a live chile-roasting demonstration.
Ben Tilley Jr., president and treasurer of the Lane County Farmers Market board of directors, also owns Crossroads Farm, which specializes in chiles.
“We’re going to ruin people!” Tilley said, with a laugh, about the competition. “There are people out there who enjoy the high they get from peppers.”
The endorphin rush of peppers
Capsaicin is the chemical in peppers that sends a pain signal to the brain, which interprets it as a burning sensation, even though there’s no actual fire…