Hello From Tim in Tucson (Chiltepin Heaven!)

Hello Everyone!

I just signed up today to begin chatting with everyone to learn more about growing chiles. Last year I grew several varieties, mostly Annuums from Mexico.

I grew an Aji Sella Creolla last year (I still have it), and became very interested in South American chiles. This Spring I plan on planting the varieties I have collected, including Ulupica and Covincho.

I grew 3 Chiltepina plants (local Latino name for chiltepin) last year. I lost two, but one has survived. The two that croaked were purchased from a local nature park nursery (Tohono Chul), but the one that survived I purchased at a farmer's market from a gal who said she got the seeds from a plant on the West side of the Baboquivari Mountains (South Arizona).

For the past 6 months, I was a political canvasser for a Congressional candidate who's District happens to be South and West Tucson, which is heavily Latino. I saw so many Chiltepina plants growing in peoples yards! I've collected some samples, and have kept the seeds in separate containers. One sample in particular I got from a man who lives in Barrio Hollywood who had two Chiltepinas that he said he found in a canyon a few years ago when he was deer hunting. When I asked him if it was near Tumacacori, he said "yes" which tells me he was in the Wild Chiltepin Preserve. I started a few seeds to make sure they are viable, and many of them have sprouted.

Anyway, I'll be checking in from time to time.

I look forward to our discussions!

Tim
 
:welcome: to THP and Greetings from the Metrolina in North Carolina !
[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]"The taste is followed by a vicious hot spicy bite"[/background][background=rgb(255, 244, 228)] [/background][background=rgb(255, 244, 228)] :flamethrower:[/background][background=rgb(255, 244, 228)] [/background][background=rgb(255, 244, 228)] :onfire:[/background]
 
Hi from the Ozarks, I grew up eating wild chiltepins as my dad use to go out with some friend to hunt and pick wild peppers along the southern boarder of Arizona, they may not be big and impressive but they can have a good bite, nothing better than a spoon full of pickled tepins in a bowl of beans and rice.
 
Hi from the Ozarks, I grew up eating wild chiltepins as my dad use to go out with some friend to hunt and pick wild peppers along the southern boarder of Arizona, they may not be big and impressive but they can have a good bite, nothing better than a spoon full of pickled tepins in a bowl of beans and rice.

Wow! I'd love to see the wild chiltepins down South of here, but it's just too dangerous to go wandering around in the canyons there. Too many armed drug smugglers. Anyway, chiltepins are a big part of the local cuisine here. I love them! Oh, and eating one straight will create a burst of endorphines and energy.
 
:welcome: from sunny South Florida! :woohoo:
 
way to dangerous to be wandering around now days, but in the mid 50s you didn't have that kind of problems, and no one would ask you why you had a rifle and why you had a wild peccary slung over your shoulder.
I can tell you, a little smoked peccary, some greens and some fresh chiltepin wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla and a cold beer to wash it down is very good.
 
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