Monday, March 3, 2008

Lots of Chiles This Year

I placed my orders for chile plants and seeds a while ago. I ordered a dozen plants (minimum order) from Cross Country Nurseries on January 18th. Their descriptions are included below.

Aji Dulce 1: mild; Habanero Type; 1 to 2 inches long by 1 to 1.25 inches wide; medium thin flesh; matures from pale green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Prolific, Seasoning Pepper; flavor and aroma similar to habanero but without the heat; C.chinense.
Aji Dulce 2: mild; Habanero Type; 1 to 2 inches long by 1 to 1.25 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 18 to 24 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Prolific, Seasoning Pepper; from Venezuela; flavor and aroma similar to habanero but without the heat; C.chinense.
Aji Dulce 3: mild; Habanero Type; 1 to 2 inches long by 1 to 1.25 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 18 to 24 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Seasoning Pepper; from USA, Puerto Rico; pods have a flattened bottom; flavor and aroma similar to habanero but without the heat; C.chinense.
Datil Sweet: sweet; 1.5 to 2 inches long by 0.75 to 1 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from pale green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Prolific, Seasoning Pepper; smoky flavor of Datil without the heat; C.chinense.
Doux d'Espagne: sweet; 5 to 6 inches long by 2.5 to 3.5 inches wide; thick flesh; matures from green to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Mid Season; Uses: Large Stuffing, Roasting, Fried/Stir-Fried; from Italy; C.annuum.
Grenada Seasoning: mild; Habanero Type; 1.75 to 2 inches long by 1 to 1.5 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from green to bright yellow; pendant pods; green leaves; 30 to 36 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Seasoning Pepper; from Grenada; very little heat but full of flavor and aroma; C.chinense.
Moravian: mild; Blocky Type; 4 to 6 inches long by 2.5 to 3 inches wide; thick flesh; matures from yellowish green to orange to red; upright pods become pendant; green leaves; 12 to 18 inches tall; Early Season; Uses: Large Stuffing; C.annuum.
Rocotillo: medium; Habanero Type; 1 to 1.5 inches long by 1 to 1.25 inches wide; matures from green to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 18 to 24 inches tall; Late Season; C.chinense.
St. Lucia Red Seasoning: mild; Habanero Type; 1.5 to 2.5 inches long by 0.75 to 1 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from yellow green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Seasoning Pepper; from St. Lucia; C.chinense.
St. Lucia Yellow Seasoning: mild; Habanero Type; 1.5 to 2.5 inches long by 0.75 to 1 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from green to yellow; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Seasoning Pepper; from St. Lucia; C.chinense.
Szentesi Semi-Hot: medium; Blocky Type; 4 to 5 inches long by 1.5 to 2 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from greenish yellow to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 18 to 24 inches tall; Early Season; Uses: Hungarian Cuisine, Paprika; C.annuum.
Tobago Seasoning: mild; Habanero Type; 1.5 to 2.5 inches long by 0.75 to 1 inches wide; medium thick flesh; matures from lt green to orange to red; pendant pods; green leaves; 24 to 30 inches tall; Late Season; Uses: Seasoning Pepper; from Tobago; C.chinense.

I also ordered 6 plants (minimum order) from The Chile Woman around the same time. Her descriptions are shown below, including the hotness on a scale of 1 to 10 - mild to hot.

Aji Pineapple: This sweet citrusy yellow South American chile grows on a more compact bush and ripens slightly earlier. Baccatum. (5)
Aleppo: This Syrian cayenne has been requested year after year and I finally savedenough seed to offer it this season. Annuum. (7)
Argentina: A milder South American Aji. Long tapered, slightly flattened shape. Red when ripe with a fruity flavor. Baccatum. (4)
Belize Sweet Habanero: From a chile grower in Punta Gorda, this hardy chile can boast of being a hurricane survivor. Chinense. (1)
Elsita: Very thick brown to red chile from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Beautiful fuzzy stems and leaves. I cooked with this a lot last season. Annuum. (5)
Venezuelan Sweet Habanero: The wonderful fruity aroma of a habanero combined with the sweet taste of a bell pepper. A truly heavenly chile. Chinense. (1)

And of course I could not resist buying some chile seeds from Fedco Seeds:

Czech Black Hot Pepper: (65 days) Judged the most beautiful vegetable grown at Five Springs Farm CSA. Black when immature, the 2-1/2" long conical fruits ripen to a lustrous garnet—so striking that seed grower Roberta Bailey kept a bowl on her table just to admire. Mild juicy flesh runs with a cherry red juice when cut. The heat, a tad less than a jalapeƱo’s, is in the ribs and seeds and is “just right for many of us” says CSA farmer Jim Sluyter. 2-1/2-3' bushes bear very early, setting about 20 pointed thick-walled peppers per plant. MOFGA-certified.

And then there are some chile plants to start from seed that I already have:

Pimento de Padron: Franchi Sementi seed purchased from Seeds of Italy years ago.
Friarello di Nocera: slight fruits, long, pointed, sweet when green, red when ripe, local selection Friarello, Nocerina. From SSE yearbook member Angelo Barbetti (2005).
Piquillo de Lodosa: typical Navarre pepper, tasty, very fleshy fruits, used in many ways, roasted and pickled in Banderillas.. also from Angelo Barbetti (2004)
Ciliegia di Calabria: medium hot perfectly round small cherries, from Furci Siculo (Sicily). Another Angelo Barbetti acquisition (2004 - 05). Seeds of Italy description: Early, hot variety. Compact plant with good foliage. Small round fruits 4/5cms turning deep red when ripe. Meaty chilli with good flavour. Smaller than the Calabrese Ciliegia piccante (Bacio di Satana). Local Production. Recommended by Cucina Caldesi as used in their recipe for 'Peperoncini Ripieni' (stuffed chilli's).

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