By Mike Pulfer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Question: "Why do some foods get hotter (spicier) the day after they're cooked? It seems that the flavors would blend and become more mellow; instead, they get so hot they're hard to eat.

"If I knew which spices/peppers, etc. did this, I could plan accordingly."

Answer: We surveyed staffers in the Stupid corner at 312 Elm St. and found little empathy for the reader's concern. Not one reporter had experienced the problem, either with Whoppers or Egg McMuffins.

So we went to food school long enough to learn this:

"Any type of pepper or spice tends to grow hotter because, like wine, when opened, it blooms and intensifies," says John Kinsella, who directs the culinary program at Cincinnati State College. "Peppers, as they maturate, will exude basic oil that contains the capacity to expand the flavor and seasoning.

"Gumbo is a good example. All gumbos are made the day prior to use so that the flavors and spices can bloom."

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mpulfer@enquirer.com