golden greek pepperoncini

[POTAWIE]

These are quite popular peppers but most delis or pickled versions are picked green and then they use chemicals to further strip the color and then pickle them. Now my question is why do they go through this process, and aren't the peppers better when ripe red, or at least with some color? What does everyone here do with there pepperoncinis and who can comment on a good seed source.
I've grown untrue seeds years ago from Reimers(Never buy from them) and I've got seeds from Tomatogrowers, but have heard 1 poor review of their version. I'm still planning on growing them to see for myself.
"Golden Greek Pepperoncini from Tomato Growers catalog is not worth the effort. It is large, crunchy, thick skinned, and has a bland yet slightly soapy flavor."
http://www.paleotechnics.com/Articles/Pepperoncini.html

I don't know why he doesn't like crunchiness in his peppers(he describes this as a negative in the article)

 

[Pam]

I've eyed them before, but usually scratch them off my list because something that sounds more appealing comes long. Aconcagua is another one I usually end up scratching off my list.

 

[POTAWIE]

I hear you Pam, I'm finally growing some Aconcaguas this year

 

[Diabolus]

I ordered some pepperoncini from Trade Winds (link below) but I'm not sure if I'll get around to them this year. Too much other good stuff sprouting right now.

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/vegetables/pepperoncini_pepper.htm

 

[caroltlw]

I started some last year from an eBay seller and some plants had nice pale fruit, others were really dark and not so tasty IMO. I kept seeds from the palest plant which I am overwintering but germination hasn't been so great for some reason. We LOVE the raw ones in salads and pasta and red is delicious and even kinda hot.
The plant I kept keeps producing fruit even with cold nights.

 

[POTAWIE]

Sorry, did you say you saved seeds from a pale pepper (meaning unripe), or from a pale plant? Seeds should always be taken from a ripe red pod when possible.

 

[caroltlw]

Sorry, did you say you saved seeds from a pale pepper (meaning unripe), or from a pale plant? Seeds should always be taken from a ripe red pod when possible.

Pale podded plant. Red peppers. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[POTAWIE]

Anybody have any pics of their Golden Greek's to compare or comments? Maybe AJ, or Carol?

Here's some of mine (I'm not sure of the seed sources right now.)
Type1

Type2 looks a little like my dissapointing Peter peppers from last year

 

[caroltlw]

Anybody have any pics of their Golden Greek's to compare or comments? Maybe AJ, or Carol?

Yep, those look like the darker pods both last year and this year (I gave them another try) but I decided against taking seed from them.

Here's an example of the paler ones. The one in the foreground is the daughter and the one to the left is the mother. Takes a while for them to turn from greenish to yellowish - similar to a banana/wax in color. Most of them stay smaller and wrinklier than this example too - we've had a lot of rain.

 

[POTAWIE]

Those pale pods look great but more like an Italian pepperoncini

 

[LUCKYDOG]

I am growing them this year as well and I got the seeds from the Seed Parcel - I like the pickled ones so I thought I would give it a try. Still small but loaded with flowers at this point.

 

[caroltlw]

Those pale pods look great but more like an Italian pepperoncini

Hmmmm... that's interesting. I grew some Italians last year too and they were even darker than the dark Greeks. I tasted some green ones and got rid of the plants because they were so nasty. I suppose I should have let them live and used them when they went red, but I didn't have the resources to grow something I really didn't want.

 

[POTAWIE]

These appear like what you have growing Carol
http://www.thechileman.org/results....ld&origin=Any&genus=Any&chile=1&submit=Search

 

[caroltlw]

These appear like what you have growing Carol
http://www.thechileman.org/results....ld&origin=Any&genus=Any&chile=1&submit=Search

It's entirely likely my seed source had them confused. All I know for sure is I only like the taste of the paler ones if eaten green/yellow. I still can't get them to taste right pickled - and by "right" I mean the same as the store bought ones.

[edit] OK, here's what I bought:
Stavros Greek

 

[cheezydemon]

I am growing some this year. Did anyone have tips for pickling recipes?

 

[POTAWIE]

From what I understand, the store bought Greek pepperoncinis often contain sodium bisulfate to bleach the color

 

[caroltlw]

From what I understand, the store bought Greek pepperoncinis often contain sodium bisulfate to bleach the color

Yeah, probably all kinds of chemicals I can't reproduce in the kitchen. It seems they pick the smallest peppers on the plant too (so they pack in a jar better?), which means they're either green-unripe or the plants are way overtaxed and only produce small peppers. :shrug:

I've just been using the basic vinegar-water-salt combination that works so well on my jalapenos. You have to get them in vinegar right away or the unripe seeds will go brown on you immediately.

 

[cheezydemon]

There are tghe best pepperoncinis I have ever eaten in the jars of "antipasto" olives. They are pickled but there is merlot red wine in the mix, as well as whole garlic cloves. YUM.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

I LOVE these peppers in salads.

 

[LGHT]

Are these the same peepers that they give away with every Pappa John's pizza order? I watched a show on food network and apparently all the peepers grown in a specific region of Greece are sold exclusively to Pappa John's. Plus they are VERY protective of the seeds and never allow any of them to be sold to the public. If those are the same peppers where do I get seeds from? I'm gonna put a few in my indoor garden for sure!