Coping with fear is a deeply familiar struggle, especially lately. Much can go seriously wrong just in the kitchen. There were times I couldn’t take the heat, literally and figuratively.

As a kid, I was mixing herbs and spices together for a witchy potion and got cayenne pepper in my eye. Screaming ensued. You’d think adult me would know better, but Guillaume and I inadvertently produced tear gas during an experimental recipe involving extra hot Hatch green chile peppers.

Then, last summer, bright red habanero peppers covered our three leafy green potted plants like pre-decorated holiday trees almost overnight. Would they be welcome gifts or pure pain? I’d never been so scared of something I grew myself.