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International Hot and Spicy Food Day

Food · January 16

A day for hot and spicy food, from chili peppers and hot sauce to curries and salsas, marked in the United States and elsewhere.

International Hot and Spicy Food Day falls on Saturday, January 16, 2027. That is 81 days away.

Chili heat is a strange pleasure. The burn comes from capsaicin, a compound in chili peppers that makes the mouth feel warmth that isn't really there. People seek it out anyway, and this day gives that habit some attention. It is marked in the United States too, in kitchens, restaurants and at taco trucks.

Spicy food covers a lot of ground. There is the slow build of a Sichuan dish, where peppercorns add a tingling numbness alongside the chili. There is the bright, sharp bite of a fresh jalapeño in salsa, the deep warmth of a Thai curry, and the vinegary kick of Louisiana-style hot sauce on eggs. Mustard, horseradish and wasabi bring a different kind of heat, one that rushes up the nose and fades fast.

Most people mark the day by eating something hotter than usual, or by revisiting a favorite. Some families keep a shelf of hot sauces and argue about rankings. Others cook a pot of chili and let everyone add heat at the table.

Water doesn't do much against capsaicin, which is why many spicy cuisines serve dairy, rice or bread alongside. A glass of milk or a spoonful of yogurt tends to calm things down better than ice water does. A side of rice is often part of the plan from the start.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a spicy dish from a cuisine you rarely cook.
• Make a simple fresh salsa with chili peppers.
• Set out several hot sauces and taste them side by side.
• Share a favorite spicy recipe with a friend.
• Keep yogurt or milk nearby for cooling down.

Dates

All national days on January 16

Also on January 16

• National Quinoa Day
• Appreciate a Dragon Day
• National Fig Newton Day
• National Nothing Day
• Religious Freedom Day

Categories: Food days