So the first year that I grew habaneros, I offered some to my friend Armando, who I've seen sweating over all kinds of his wife's salsas at lunchtime. He rejected them and said they were too strong, which made me very afraid to use them--if Armando wouldn't eat them, nobody would. They ripened at about the same time as my corn and lima beans, so I figured that if I added just one of those cute little peppers to a big batch of succotash, the butter and cream would help tame the heat, and it did: it took the heat down exactly one notch. Yeah, I did the cartoonish steam-coming-out-of-my-ears, fire-breathing-dragon thing. It was painful. If you like heat without the fire, substitute a seeded and de-ribbed jalapeno; if you like warmth, use one-fourth of a poblano; if you don't want any heat at all, use one small bell pepper, preferably red, diced (about 1/3 cup). What makes this a holiday dish? The colors! It's so festive!

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