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Essegi 2018

Hi all! I've disappeared for a while and here it is my new glog!
Smaller than ever.
Just 3 varieties and an overwinter. And no supers.
 
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Just started.
11 Dedo de Moca
11 Datil
11 Brown Jalapeno
 
And the overwinter, a red rocoto (that has been somewhat devastated by hail):
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Ripening pods!!!!
Really, that one did set some pods but noone ripened... I decided to leave them be and then that surpise!
 
That's just all for now!
 
Giancarlo! Welcome to the 2018 season! 
 
No supers?  In a way I can't blame you. 
Nor like you can just pop 'em in your mouth!
 
Any good hikes lately?
 
P.S.  Pods in January   :woohoo:
 
Hi Paul, thanks!
Yeah, i was tired of supers... I'm not so committed to cooking lately and they risk to dominate tastes too much. In the end i have more "fun" with a strong habanero.
Really a surprise those colored pods btw!
 
I've had some hikes, last week we went at nearly 2700m of height, there was a really strong wind (one that hindered balance), with lots of  "icy powder" going straight on the face, i had my beard full of ice. :rofl:
On march i hope to take a basic mountaineering course, that one will be fun!
 
Hi, interesting to see a rocoto plant, looks almost like tomatoes :  )
 
Had too lookup Datil, seems like a nice plant "like a habanero but fruitier and sweeter taste" as per wikipedia.
 
I suppose you place them outside come spring and develop indoors until then?
 
 
 
Hi Giancarlo, glad to see you're back in the saddle again! I understand your wanting to go with a more manageable pepper grow this year... some of us just have no sense... :P  Good luck with your grow, and we expect great things from you in the way of hiking pics. Cheers!
 
tsurrie said:
Good luck this season Giancarlo. Looking forward to your growing, food and hiking pictures. :P
Hi Uros! For sure more hiking than food that year. :D
 
chelicerae said:
Hi, interesting to see a rocoto plant, looks almost like tomatoes :  )
 
Had too lookup Datil, seems like a nice plant "like a habanero but fruitier and sweeter taste" as per wikipedia.
 
I suppose you place them outside come spring and develop indoors until then?
Hi David!
Yeah, Rocoto is indeed particular. Last year that one wasn't bad at setting pods, just too late. Incredibly they are ripening on garage while i was thinking just to overwinter the plant. I'll put that one on ground.
U got my point about Datil, looks like a sweeter habanero, so why not? I tried some years ago but no one germinated... Last year i passed... Hope this one is the good one!
Correct about growing, started in heating room, they'll be here at least for 2 months full time, then i'll see when taking them to sunbath, probably iìll plant on ground around April/May.
 
stickman said:
Hi Giancarlo, glad to see you're back in the saddle again! I understand your wanting to go with a more manageable pepper grow this year... some of us just have no sense... :P  Good luck with your grow, and we expect great things from you in the way of hiking pics. Cheers!
Hey Rick! Yeah, since at the moment hiking is my main passion i haven't the head to grow insane amounts of peppers (not that i ever did that :P). Just the ones needed. ;)
 
Good to see you're in the mix Giancarlo ;)
 
I too am looking very much forward to your photography! You have an eye for it for sure!
 
The wife and I are still trying to sort out the "perfect grow" that suits our needs. So many peppers to try and see what we want to grow every year. I do feel this season will define that.
 
Wise move to focus on few varieties and sowing a good number, I'm sure you'll find some nice keepers.
Datil may be tricky but it's nice.
Have a great 2018 both hiking and growing!
 
Today first hooks!
7 brown jalapenos and 1 dedo de moca!
 
Next summer maybe i'll experiment something: i could try to start some rocoto on August, when it's hot enough (mabye too much) to germinate them. Then grow them outside till late november, eeping them inside until march.
So i can spare a month of light, grow them bigger for next season and have more room for other varieties. I'll see, Maybe i'll beg for seeds if shops are closed on early summer.
 
Devv said:
Good to see you're in the mix Giancarlo ;)
 
I too am looking very much forward to your photography! You have an eye for it for sure!
 
The wife and I are still trying to sort out the "perfect grow" that suits our needs. So many peppers to try and see what we want to grow every year. I do feel this season will define that.
Hey, Scott, nice to see you here! Thanks for your words!
Yeah, there are so many varieties to try that i doubt i'll ever grow twice one. :D
 
Datil said:
Wise move to focus on few varieties and sowing a good number, I'm sure you'll find some nice keepers.
Datil may be tricky but it's nice.
Have a great 2018 both hiking and growing!
Ciao Fabrizio, grazie!
That year Datil must grow, i already failed once, no need to reply! :rofl:
 
Spicegeist said:
Cool.  I want to see how the brown jalapenos turn out.
Me too, bro! In 6 days they are 7/11, i can't complain. :D
 
Yesteday i went to Verena at the peak and i ate something on the shelter here. And there i read something about cooking tosella slowly pan frying it with butter. That was enormously interesting for me. I usually grilled it and, like grilled cheese in general, saying that i have a weak for that is an huge understatement. When i cook it on pan i am not that enthusiastic. But i must try that with butter. Alone, with sage and with pepper.
Tosella is a fresh (not aged) cheese that should be cooked, local to Asiago and proximity.
It could be a good idea to waste a rocoto with that!

Just a shot that my friend took from the peak:
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The effect of the fresh snow was nice.

And this from 2 weeks ago... 
It started fine:
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There was so much wind...
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And that when dust didn't came straight to the face! :D
A snowbooard mountaineer said that it was the first time that he had to push while descending. :rofl:
 
Bonus pic:
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A small part of the famous Lumignano crag. That's near my home (15 min of car). Maybe some day i'll try one of the easiest routes, i guess not that year.
 
It's always gratifying to get those hooks! How much longer before the thaw for you Giancarlo? Crazy winds on that ascent a couple of weeks ago, but then that always seems to happen when the seasons begin to change, eh?
 
You are correct, it's always gratifying and i'd say a relief when there are hooks!
For snow probably there will be something until April, depends where. Aside glaciers, in the heart of Dolomites there's something until june (and it's also because that i thrive for the mountaineering course, wiith crampoons and pickaxe there's more to do early).
 
I got more hooks today! 1 Dedo De Moca, 1 Jalapeno Brown and 2 Datil! (edit: now +1 more Jalapeno so now 9/2/2 out of 11)
Now the minimum goal has been reached! I'm planning to keep 3 of jalapeno, 2 of Datil and 2 of Dedo De Moca.
 
Light on:
hAoPGX.jpg

 
 
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Brown Jalapeno, first plant that is no more an hook!
 
Love the sunbathing Rocoto shot with the dog and the cat with ears folded backwards : )
 
(I could have taken mine out for some sunshine in -10C and snow earlier this week but I don't think they would have approved)
 
Current germ:
Jalapeno Brown 11/11
Datil 8/11
Dedo De Moca 7/11
 
Also yesterday i've started 5 pumpkins form my dad... He said that they should be violina/ferrarese... And that it was a nice plant. We'll see.
 
Plants are fine
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Some nearly ready to harvest rocotos:
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I moved the plant on an hotter room.
 
1 good to go
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I used it with some herring (or similar fish, not sure). That has been made in a way called "scopèton" (there's no italian word for that) that i can describe it as... Salted. Also with a nice quantity of garlic and parsley. This was very tasty. Paired with some cheap polenta.
Rocoto had a nice heat, i guess i can't pretend too much about the taste since it didn't took much sun, it wasn't bad.
 
Trident chilli said:
Everything looking good Giancarlo
Thanks!
 
bpiela said:
Looking great!  and that helmet head looks easily removable.  Best of luck!
Thanks!
On last pic it was difficult to spot the hard ones... I have 2 like that:
ggmNNV.jpg

 
chelicerae said:
Love the sunbathing Rocoto shot with the dog and the cat with ears folded backwards : )
 
(I could have taken mine out for some sunshine in -10C and snow earlier this week but I don't think they would have approved)
Cat has't the best attitude when dog wants to play, so the dog have learnt to mess with him by distance since that cat is very strong and his nails are nasty. :D
Those days it was colder and yestarday it was even snowing 200m higher than here in the hills.
 
Devv said:
And we're off and running!
Thanks Scott, i hope in some weeks to start again to run myself, i've been lazy that winter. :D
 
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