I'll never forget when I was in Edinburgh about seven years ago having dinner at an Indian restaurant. Having spent two years living in London and frequenting corner curry houses at least twice a week, I thought I had subjected my tongue to just about every level of heat possible -- and I'm a sucker for throat-defying, fire-flamed food. So, when I went to this Indian restaurant in Edinburgh, I had no qualms about ordering my dishes "hot." Our server set our plates down, smiled smugly, and three or four other servers walked over to join him. I took one bite of my vindaloo (which, by the way, I don't find hot in the slightest at Indian restaurants in America), and it was as close to death as I've ever felt. All of the servers began to laugh, while I suffered -- suffering that endured for at least 20 minutes. To this day, I have absolutely no idea what the hell they put in that vindaloo, but it was the single most horrifyingly hot dish I've ever eaten -- and the only one that I've not been able to eat. That said, I think by and large, Thai fare is the world's hottest cuisine, but since it plays off the sweet, sour and salty as well, it seems to always strike a balance. I love hot food, but only when I can still take in the flavors. -Lori