I used to keep a bottle of Pure Cap for just these occasions. Pure Cap is pure capsaicin. But, in this form, it basically has no flavour and there is about a 15 second delay before the burn hits.

Picture it. A boys chili night. A big cauldron of chili, 5 of 6 folks had arrived on time. Our friend "Venn" was notoriously late. We all get our bowl of chili, a couple of drinks and sit down to eat.

Before leaving the kitchen, I half fill the ladle with chili, then put 3 drops of Pure Cap in it and rest it carefully on top of the chili in the cauldron. When Venn arrives, I tell him to help himself, the chili is in the kitchen. He goes in, grabs a bowl from the cupboard and dumps a ladle or three into the bowl.

I didn't tell the other lads what I was doing. So we all kept eating, Venn's face turns bright red. We all look ... "Everything OK?" He remembers ladling the chili himself, so we didn't do anything ... He asks for some sour cream. - I tell him it's in the fridge. The other mates start ragging on him because tonight's chili really isn't that hot. He can't explain it ... usually he can eat foods that are much spicier than anything we can eat. His tongue is on fire.

We all finish our bowls and go for seconds. He can't believe that we can eat this inferno of meat and beans.

It's been over 25 years now. Perhaps I should tell him.