re: #56 The Ghost of a Flea

Sichuan cuisine uses tons of chiles in multiple forms—fermented paste, dried, fresh, seasoned oil, salted—but what really sets it apart is huaijiao—lit. flower pepper, otherwise Sichuan pepper.

The latter has a chemical that activates several different receptor types in your tactile sense, producing an sensory effect somewhere between a tiny shock and a sting.

That’s not all they have going on, but it’s definitely the most memorable.

What kind of protein do they use? I’ve forgotten where in China the location of Sichuan province.