Habs contain roughly 300,000 Scoville heat units (a common measure of chile heat), A jalapeno, by comparison, has only about 8,000 Scoville units. But don't let that frighten you: as long as you're careful about removing the veins and seeds, which pack most of the heat, you can fully enjoy their many marvels.

Because habaneros are among the hottest chiles in the world, they must be handled with extreme care. Some cookbooks recommend using rubber gloves when handling habs, but I find this to be unnecessary if you follow one very simple rule: don't touch them! To avoid touching the pepper, lightly pin it down with a fork and, using a sharp paring knife, slice the pepper down the center, lengthwise. Then simply excise each vein (a hab typically has three or four) by slicing both sides of it. Carefully discard all but the chunks of orange flesh that remain, and mince those up. Don't touch them! Use your fork to hold the flesh still, and use the knife to slice or mince them. Then use the blunt side of the knife to slide them into the pan, a bowl, a plate, or wherever you're planning on using them. Then thoroughly was the cutting board and knife with soap and hot water. Some of the capsaicin (the stuff that makes chiles hot) may remain, depending on how thoroughly you wash your tools, so be careful. Don't touch them!

Because of its power, a single habanero goes a long way. I often slice a small piece of one up for my scrambled eggs. A whole one would add considerable punch to a pot of simmering stew, a slow-cooking pork shoulder, or a Jamaican-style jerk chicken. Its tropical overtones make it ideal for seafood, especially shrimp, either sliced thinly and eaten raw, or as a component of an accompanying simple salsa made with white onion, a chopped tomato, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt.