Dave DeWitt is a food historian and one of the foremost authorities in the world on chile peppers, spices, and spicy foods. He has published fifty-six books, including Chile Peppers: A Global History (UNM Press). He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
José C. Marmolejo owned and operated Don Alfonso Foods, a specialty outfit of Mexican delicacies in Austin, Texas. He assisted a PBS TV series production on fiery foods and appeared with Andrew Zimmern on "Bizarre Foods." Native of Mexico, he has lived in the United States and in France, where he widened his appreciation of Mexican gastronomy. He lives in Mexico City in a small house with a big, light-filled kitchen, where he hears the tamale and tortilla street vendors daily.