Whenever we order pizza, we get those little packets of red pepper. What do you do with them?
I toss them in the trash can…same as the nasty parmesan cheese packets that come with pizza.
-XT
Huh…never heard of nor seen this, and I’ve ordered take out pizza a fair amount…must be regional (I’m in the northeast US…living in VT, lived in NY, and ordered plenty of pizza all over the rest of new England.)
I’ve never encountered them. I’d use them liberally if I did though.
People that want to add some spice usually tear off a corner and sprinkle the contents onto their pizza.
Packets like those are reason why you’ll sometimes see this warning: “Silica gel. DO NOT EAT”
Yes, I’ve found it’s no longer a standard accompaniment that they automatically include. When at home I toss them and use the good red pepper flakes from Penzey’s, but when not at home I’ll use the store stuff.
I’ve never received a packet of anything when I’ve ordered pizza.
Sometimes I’ll add dried red pepper to a slice of pepperoni pizza if I’m buying a single slice. So in theory I might use it.
Just to clarify, since it wasn’t really a choice, I like red pepper (and fresh parmesan cheese as well), just not the packets that come with pizza. I have friends that snarf up both, however.
It must be a regional thing, since when you get take out pizza or even delivery they usually have both types of packets available, and a lot of places just toss them in whether you ask for them or not. Of course, I remember places like Domino’s and Papa John’s doing the same thing when I lived on the east coast as well, so maybe it’s just something they don’t do anymore.
-XT
The weekend supervisor at work always orders Papa Johns and I’m in charge of the order. I always get as many red pepper and parm packets as they’ll let me have. Often I use one red pepper, then I keep the leftover packets for frozen dinners on other days. I have my own pepper and parm at home for when my husband and I get delivery from Davanni’s, which is a local chain that typically doesn’t include packets of things.
What’s the deal with the seasoning packet from Papa Johns? It’s like a salt with green flakes in it. It’s strange- if you think your food needs better seasoning maybe include it in the product?
Trash them along with the packets of smelly toe jam cheese.
Usually the pizza guy asks if I want either packet and I say no.
Pizza Hut gives you those packets. I always apply the pepper liberally on top of my slices. I like to feel the heat.
Empty them on top of the pizza. The more the merrier. Then break out the hot sauce and get to eating.
Apply liberally! Along with the crappy parm cheese.
I use some, and save the rest for backpacking. Great little source of spice on the trail.
I refuse to use the fake parmesan though - that stuff is just wrong.
Then I strongly recommend applying some Sriracha (aka cock sauce) onto your next slice. I normally load my slices with garlic powder and crushed red pepper. But on special days, I add the Sriracha as well.
I put them in a condiment bag with the left over packets of parmesan cheese only to later get pissed off when I grab them out instead of the last resort parmesan I wanted for my spaghetti. Honestly, I really should just throw them away.
I make the car payment by answering the phones at Domino’s on the weekends. A high volume store can actually blow through $400/month on pepper packets alone. SOP for most of the major chains now is to only give them out on request, and even then, sparingly.
What would happen if you ate silica gel? It would seem to me that you would just poop it out later undigested.
I have never seen a red pepper packet. I imagine it’s like those paper black pepper packets that come with your hospital boiled egg meal, except it has red pepper flakes in it. I have a jar of red pepper flakes.
I throw them in a drawer and use them when I need crushed red pepper for a recipe.
Yeah. It’s pretty inert. And you’d have to eat a whole lot to worry about the absorptive qualities. But it’s generally a bad idea to eat things that aren’t food, so when something that’s not food is packaged with something that is food, they go a bit overboard.