Demand is growing for extreme sensations and tangible experiences.

Taste thresholds continue to expand, particularly in the food and beverage category, where previously intense (sour, spicy, bitter) or exotic flavors have been adopted by the mainstream. U.S. spice company McCormick has reported a 70% increase in sales of its extra-hot chipotle pepper since its launch five years ago.

Even bartenders are mixing ginger and jalapeno in their cocktails. Expect to see more extreme tasteson mainstream menus, with more ordinary food products being given an extreme taste makeover.

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Bogota Latin Bistro, known for the Colombian fare it serves to fans in Brooklyn, N.Y., is taking its popular Colombian Aji Sauce to the masses. Owners George Constantinou and Farid Ali Lancheros introduced the sauce when they opened the restaurant in the summer of 2005, and recently created Bogota Sauce Co., a division of Bogota that focuses selling their homemade sauces.

bogotabistro.com/AjiSauce.html

Lola's, a rustic cantina the celebrated its grand opening Nov. 18 on the western edge of Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, is the latest Windy City hot spot for sizzling fajitas and Mexican beer-fueled cocktails.

Healthier, made-from-scratch Mexican food in a hurry is now a reality at Taco Bueno, which should be good news for the 73 percent of adults who say they now try to eat healthier at restaurants more than they did two years ago. In late October, the Texas-based regional Mexican quick-service restaurant chain announced the Taco Bueno Choice Menu, a line of nine low-calorie menu items.

The menu features their new Fresco Chicken Soup made with seven vegetables and white meat chicken in a savory broth, along with eight other fresh menu items. The lineup also includes two vegetarian options - the BC Vegetarian Black Bean Burrito and the Vegetarian Tostella.

finance.yahoo.com/news/Taco-Bueno-Expands-Menu-to-bw-3052401111.html