Stickman's 2013 Glog - Time To Pull The Plug on 2013

I'm pulling things together to get ready for my next growing season. I bought NuMex variety seeds from Sandia Seed company in New Mexico, Hot Paper Lantern Habaneros and Antohi Romanians from Johnny's Select Seeds in Maine and Korean varieties from Evergreen Seeds in California. Due to the unbelievable generosity of a number of THP members I've also gotten seeds to a wide variety of chiles from around the world. Special thanks to BootsieB, stc3248, romy6, PaulG, SoCalChilehead, joynershotpeppers, highalt, cmpman1974, smokemaster, mygrassisblue, Mister No, chewi, KingDenniz, orrozconleche and most recently and spectacularly, Habanerohead with a great selection of superhots and peppers from Hungary!

There are eleven varieties of Hungarian peppers in here, mostly the early, thick-fleshed, sweet ones that range from white through yellow to purple and red.., plus Aji Lemon Drop, BJ Indian Carbon, Naga Morich, Bishop's Crown and TS CARDI Yellow! Now I just have to go through my seed bank and match the space available to what I want to grow. Thanks Balázs!

 

[romy6]

 Frutescens make a great sauce brother. Just ask wayright. He has sent me some sauces that will have your flavor hormones go ballistic. 

 

[PaulG]

Wow, Rick, planning for 2015 already!
I feel small and insignificant   
 
Really, bro, way to go; you always have
a new iron or two in the fire!

 

[Devv]

So now after reading this I want to plant yet more peppers, But I guess I'll stick with what I have....which is too many already.
 
Do some weeding out as I taste through them and keep taking notes.
 
Great discussion!

 

[PeriPeri]

 
Very interesting. On this subject, the trade in chilli peppers from Brazil to Africa would most likely have occurred first to Angola. I grew an Angolan frutescens last year called Jindungo. I liked it, though I have little experience of other African frutescens to compare it to. I also read somewhere that it's origin is the Brazilian Malaguetinha, the smaller version of the Malagueta. I'll have to see if I still have seeds. 
http://www.rainbowchiliseeds.com/catalog/i513.html

Interesting info. I heard about the malaguetta but your link looks more like it. The longs stalk, small bird beak shaped pods... looks very much like the PeriPeri/PiliPili etc etc I think the nices aspect - now that I think about it is that really long lingering peppery burn... it goes on and on - magic! I had the same taste experience with some Cumari I tried... same long lingering peppery burn.

Now you guys got me wondering about growing a Frutascens variety for sauce-making, but It'll have to wait 'til 2015... I'm fully extended for 2014... lots of time to research and ask around before settling on which varieties to grow.
 
Greg... did the Pele chile look anything like this?  http://hawaiianchilipeppers.com/index.html

lol what you are only on 2015... man, I thought you would be strategizing on 2020 by now! Now I never mentioned this but them PeriPeri are a labour of love. Hundreds of tiny pods on a bush... stalks don't come off easy... they are labour intensive to pick lol And after picking a few hundred pods, them hands will feel like they have had a chemical peel lol

 

[stickman]

 Frutescens make a great sauce brother. Just ask wayright. He has sent me some sauces that will have your flavor hormones go ballistic. 

Thanks for the input brother Jamie! I'll have to pm him and see if he'll let me pick his brain...

Wow, Rick, planning for 2015 already!
I feel small and insignificant   
 
Really, bro, way to go; you always have
a new iron or two in the fire!

Thanks Paul! Back at ya dude... your grow has nothing to feel bad about, and your example of innovation definitely resonates with me. Good luck with your surgery today... I hope your "calf implants" are all you wish for...

So now after reading this I want to plant yet more peppers, But I guess I'll stick with what I have....which is too many already.
 
Do some weeding out as I taste through them and keep taking notes.
 
Great discussion!

Me too brother! My space and budget are limited, and I've got lots more to learn about the many varieties of chiles.

lol what you are only on 2015... man, I thought you would be strategizing on 2020 by now! Now I never mentioned this but them PeriPeri are a labour of love. Hundreds of tiny pods on a bush... stalks don't come off easy... they are labour intensive to pick lol And after picking a few hundred pods, them hands will feel like they have had a chemical peel lol

 
Heh, heh... No, I still put my pants on one leg at a time Lourens...   Interesting observation about picking Piri Piri pods. I know you said they're firmer than Tobasco pods when fully ripe, but they must still be soft enough to tear or mash for your hands to be burning after picking them, no?

 

[PeriPeri]

 
Heh, heh... No, I still put my pants on one leg at a time Lourens...   Interesting observation about picking Piri Piri pods. I know you said they're firmer than Tobasco pods when fully ripe, but they must still be soft enough to tear or mash for your hands to be burning after picking them, no?

Them Tabascos almost fall off the stalks when they are ripe and they just drippin with juice. Those PeriPeri are firm... but when you pick on mass as one does with these, you will end up with stuff on your hands. If memory serves me right, you do break them trying to get them off the stalks, so this would add to the burning hands for sure. I seem to think the PeriPeri (±125,000SHU) is hotter than the Tabasco - so drop for drop more burn also!

 

[stickman]

Them Tabascos almost fall off the stalks when they are ripe and they just drippin with juice. Those PeriPeri are firm... but when you pick on mass as one does with these, you will end up with stuff on your hands. If memory serves me right, you do break them trying to get them off the stalks, so this would add to the burning hands for sure. I seem to think the PeriPeri (±125,000SHU) is hotter than the Tabasco - so drop for drop more burn also!

Good to know... I work as a home health aide, so no shortage of latex gloves...
 
I'll have to look around and see if I can find a bottle of Nando's  to establish a baseline. There's no shortage of McIlhenny's Tobasco around here....

 

[PeriPeri]

Good to know... I work as a home health aide, so no shortage of latex gloves...
 
I'll have to look around and see if I can find a bottle of Nando's  to establish a baseline. There's no shortage of McIlhenny's Tobasco around here....

A friend of mine has a spice business here in JHB and he sells PeriPeri sauce (his own brand) to the industry. It looked awesome and even tastes great (too mild - but who's to say) - but I was gobsmacked when he told me the sauce was made with not one chilli (never mind real PeriPeri). I will never look at chilli sauce in the same way again! There may also be no realPeriPeri in the Nando's sauce, but it just tastes so moorish - try and see if you can get the Extra Extra Hot... its like gravy!

 

[stickman]

A friend of mine has a spice business here in JHB and he sells PeriPeri sauce (his own brand) to the industry. It looked awesome and even tastes great (too mild - but who's to say) - but I was gobsmacked when he told me the sauce was made with not one chilli (never mind real PeriPeri). I will never look at chilli sauce in the same way again! There may also be no realPeriPeri in the Nando's sauce, but it just tastes so moorish - try and see if you can get the Extra Extra Hot... its like gravy!

Now that's an eye opener! How do they get the heat in the bottle then? Adding capsaicin extract? If he wasn't pulling your leg, it may explain why your salsas and sauces were so well received... ain't nothing like the real thing!

 

[PeriPeri]

Now that's an eye opener! How do they get the heat in the bottle then? Adding capsaicin extract? If he wasn't pulling your leg, it may explain why your salsas and sauces were so well received... ain't nothing like the real thing!

Exactly that! And they use a supplier that gives them concentrated flavours in a bottle... Any flavour you can think off. They use the artificial flavourants in chip sprinkles and all sauces... onion, garlic, roasted pepper - all flavourants lol!
 
Which is why all us Chilliheads here have to pat ourselves on our backs and hold our heads up high! Our sauces and salsas rock! Can you imagine how much money you can save if your ingredients are all flavourants lol

 

[PIC 1]

Some added heat in hot sauce comes from pickled vinegar...That's what I've used, occasionally.

Jars of Horseradish may seem pretty bright at times. Alot of that sinus opening scent will come from the liquid, not the grated root.

 

[PeriPeri]

Some added heat in hot sauce comes from pickled vinegar...That's what I've used, occasionally.

Jars of Horseradish may seem pretty bright at times. Alot of that sinus opening scent will come from the liquid, not the grated root.

Nice one G. I love horseradish! And as for that Japanese wasasbi - man that clears sinus' almost as swiftly as english mustard!

 

[annie57]

Good info, guys! Have wondered about Malagueta and PeriPeri, as I love Tabasco, won't touch McIlhenny anything, as fam trad (one of few I maintain): grow Tabs and make sauce. Tabasco was first thing that I ever saw (legally) fermented. Also, from PIA of picking Tabs, I have serious doubts about the entire A. Island "baton rouge" sell, as I think they're probably fermenting jalapeño primarily and have a few rows of Tab plants in States to maintain appearances, with the vast majority of Tabs imported by Avery Island, harvested from their land holdings elsewhere, where Tabs are grown.
 
But Tab is versatile: tomato juice made from a great paste tom, add whole clove garlic, some celery salt, lemon juice, and a yellow Tab or two makes great tomato juice.
 
But I guess my line is drawn by: if it's smaller on vine than a Tabasco, I'm not growing because not interested in picking the things.
 
But wondering about a mixture: used Naga with Tab ferment this year and sure 'nuf, Grant, at Jungle Rain has crossed a Naga and Tabasco. He sent some graciously gifted seeds when I ordered and mentioned the cross; gonna have to plant that one but no way could grow without growing several Tabasco plants. Just curious about blending them with other frutescens for sauces, as Jamie mentioned.
 
OW's look wonderful, Rick! Aphids. Glad you eradicated. USDA. Wow: aphid study. Now Rick, if you could study the protein biomarkers in the particular aphid, ya'd know what kind it was, whether it carries disease or not.  OR could just kill the "bastiges." My vote is for the latter approach, which you've taken. Biology teacher in h.s.: "We're dissecting an aphid to observe and note its protein genetic structure."    Then, Bonide was tardy as usual, but at least disrupted the class project.

 

[Penny]

Holy cow....2015 already, good for you   I still have no clue as to what I'm growing for 2014  

 

[stickman]

Exactly that! And they use a supplier that gives them concentrated flavours in a bottle... Any flavour you can think off. They use the artificial flavourants in chip sprinkles and all sauces... onion, garlic, roasted pepper - all flavourants lol!
 
Which is why all us Chilliheads here have to pat ourselves on our backs and hold our heads up high! Our sauces and salsas rock! Can you imagine how much money you can save if your ingredients are all flavourants lol

Amen... Tell it brother...

Some added heat in hot sauce comes from pickled vinegar...That's what I've used, occasionally.

Jars of Horseradish may seem pretty bright at times. Alot of that sinus opening scent will come from the liquid, not the grated root.

Interesting... so you add the brine from pickled chiles to your sauces as well as fresh peppers? That would certainly kick them up another notch!

Nice one G. I love horseradish! And as for that Japanese wasasbi - man that clears sinus' almost as swiftly as english mustard!

Oh yeah!... One time I had a sinus infection so bad that even Kimchi couldn't clear it. I ate a walnut-sized lump of Wasabi with a tray of Maki rolls and it definitely did... I put a pea-sized piece of the Wasabi on each slice, and by the third slice I felt like I'd been gassed! I bore down and finished the tray though, and by the time I finished it, they had completely drained. Lol!

Good info, guys! Have wondered about Malagueta and PeriPeri, as I love Tabasco, won't touch McIlhenny anything, as fam trad (one of few I maintain): grow Tabs and make sauce. Tabasco was first thing that I ever saw (legally) fermented. Also, from PIA of picking Tabs, I have serious doubts about the entire A. Island "baton rouge" sell, as I think they're probably fermenting jalapeño primarily and have a few rows of Tab plants in States to maintain appearances, with the vast majority of Tabs imported by Avery Island, harvested from their land holdings elsewhere, where Tabs are grown.
 
But Tab is versatile: tomato juice made from a great paste tom, add whole clove garlic, some celery salt, lemon juice, and a yellow Tab or two makes great tomato juice.
 
But I guess my line is drawn by: if it's smaller on vine than a Tabasco, I'm not growing because not interested in picking the things.
 
But wondering about a mixture: used Naga with Tab ferment this year and sure 'nuf, Grant, at Jungle Rain has crossed a Naga and Tabasco. He sent some graciously gifted seeds when I ordered and mentioned the cross; gonna have to plant that one but no way could grow without growing several Tabasco plants. Just curious about blending them with other frutescens for sauces, as Jamie mentioned.
 
OW's look wonderful, Rick! Aphids. Glad you eradicated. USDA. Wow: aphid study. Now Rick, if you could study the protein biomarkers in the particular aphid, ya'd know what kind it was, whether it carries disease or not.  OR could just kill the "bastiges." My vote is for the latter approach, which you've taken. Biology teacher in h.s.: "We're dissecting an aphid to observe and note its protein genetic structure."    Then, Bonide was tardy as usual, but at least disrupted the class project.

Hi Miz Annie! As I understand it, the McIlhenny people grow their seed stock on Avery Island, but the actual production growing is done in Brazil. The red painted dowel is for the folks who pick them there.
 
Your Bloody Mary recipe sounds tasty! I'll bet Lourens' Hong Kong pepper variety would do well there too.
 
I hear ya 'bout it being tedious picking BB-sized pods, but if the flavor's there and it isn't more than a few plants, I'll do it. I'm actually looking forward to growing about 4 Pequins next season. If I like the flavor enough I'll probably add one to the OW list for next winter. We have a family of Mockingbirds in our neighborhood... I'll be curious to see if they eat any of the Pequin pods like they do down south... I mean, the birds here have never seen them before so I don't know if they'll recognize them as food.
 
I'm beginning to experiment with Nagas I've gotten from other THP members this year, and finding I like them especially well in infused vegetable oil. It'll be interesting to get your take on blending them with Frutascens varieties in sauces and the like. Keep us posted!
 
I think I pretty much cleared out the Aphids with the Spinosad spray. It seems to have left behind a residue that caused some small black spots on the new leaves of my Yellow 7, but they still look healthy otherwise and the rest of the OW plants are unaffected. I'm looking around for a lighted 30x magnifying glass so I have a tool up to the job of finding and identifying Mites as well as Aphids, so I'll be remaining vigilant until I can plant outside and let the outer perimeter take over... my policy is zero tolerance too...

Holy cow....2015 already, good for you   I still have no clue as to what I'm growing for 2014  

Howdy Miz Penny! What have you got in your seed bank for next season? Are there any varieties you particularly want to grow?

 

[stickman]

Got some good work done out in the yard and garden today. We raked our leaves up, and I shredded them with a freebie chipper/shredder I got on Freecycle.

 
I shredded up 8 outdoor size trash bags full of leaves and mulched my "pepper alley" with them, then put down a pail of wood ashes. If the weather  co-operates tomorrow, I'll get a load of green Horse manure and spread it on top of the mulch. By spring it'll be nice and mellow, and I'll spade it in before planting.

 
I also picked up a freecycle donation of an 83 watt 5500k CFL to use when I give my OW plants the gas in February. The eyeglasses in the pic are adult sized...

Have a great Saturday night all!

 

[Devv]

There ya go, feed the soil!
 
Free chipper? Saaweet!

 

[PeriPeri]

Now that is a machine I would want to lay my hands on - could come in mighty handy!

 

[annie57]

It'll be interesting to get your take on blending them with Frutascens varieties in sauces and the like. Keep us posted!
 
I ate a walnut-sized lump of Wasabi with a tray of Maki rolls and it definitely did... I put a pea-sized piece of the Wasabi on each slice, and by the third slice I felt like I'd been gassed! I bore down and finished the tray though, and by the time I finished it, they had completely drained. Lol!

 
Hey, Rick! Fermented and processed a Naga/Tab sauce: thicker, complex "wing" sauce. Or "whatever" red sauce. Tastes pretty good! Like the oil infusion. Need to get some of my buddies who drink beer to save me some decent bottles.
 
Oh, man. In Austin, I had "Cedar Fever" and had already been to hospital--anaphylactic "thing" averted--still couldn't breathe easily 2 days later. Friend of mine made Wasabi from kick-butt powder--so . . . I think I "did" > 1/4th teaspoon. And yes! It worked (after I could breathe from breath-taken by that much 'abi)!
 
Leaf-mulcher is serious score!

 

[Jeff H]

 
 
Leaf-mulcher is serious score!

 
I agree. I've been looking for one, but haven't been as lucky as Rick. I just end up mowing and mowing the leaves with the mulching mower and then piling them up for a big compost pile.