Get ready for the hottest season finale of Heat Eaters yet, infused with Italian heat! This isn't just a spin on your Nonna's tomato sauce - it's a sizzling Italian feast that delivers a punch hotter than Mount Vesuvius.
Our journey kicks off in the Bronx at the iconic Arthur Avenue, where host Esther Choi and Bronx-bred chef Christian Petroni—a local celebrity familiar to everyone on the block— explore the spicy realms of Calabrian cuisine. Paying respect through historical landmarks, they taste-test various spicy cured sausages from Calabria Pork Store and try the renowned Calabrese-style egg, potato, and porchetta sandwiches from Mike's Deli—a cultural cornerstone since the 1940s. Their journey culminates with a spicy cannoli with a fiery twist from Cayenne and Calabrian chilis.
To cap off her adventure, Esther jets to Brooklyn to join forces with Binging with Babish at his home studio. Together, they unleash the formidable flavor of Carolina Reapers from Smokin' Ed to make “Spaghetti all’Assassina,'' also known as “Assassin’s Pasta”—a dish so alarmingly hot, legend says a patron named it that after suggesting the chef intended to end his life with the excessive spice. Finally, they top the pasta with 'nduja spicy meatballs infused with Trinidad Scorpion Powder that might just be Camera Guy Bill's final feast.