Highalt's 2012 Grow Log

stickman · Aug 29, 2012

highalt said:
I did try a Gwari pepper with dinner tonight. Not tons of flavor, but I liked the level of heat it had. Is the Gwari a hybrid, or can I save the seeds from those pods? I also used some of the Gochu powder in the breading I coated the tilapia filets with for dinner. I think I am feeling a little better now.

Hi Bonnie
Strange... when I tried one I thought it was pretty hot in an Annuum sort of way, but also fairly sweet... oh well, it'll taste different for different people I guess. Either that or there's some variation between individual peppers like the old-style NuMex Anaheims whose name I can't think of at the moment. I don't know if it's a hybrid because the seed packet was printed in Korean, and I don't speak the language. I just recognize some of the food-related words and I don't read/write it at all. I'm glad you liked them enough to want to grow them. I still have some seeds from the original packet if you'd like them... They're OK for me, but didn't make the cut for next year's grow. Cheers!

romy6 · Aug 29, 2012

Great updates per usual Bonnie. Love your jellies. I need to stop slacking and make some . Hope you are feeling better. My kids started school last week and just waiting for them to bring home some nasties :confused:

Keep the harvest and food pics coming. We or at least I love them :dance:

Pulpiteer · Aug 29, 2012

Finally made it back to your blog. Glad you tried the jelly recipe! I just made a batch this week and it turned out great. Nice easy and delicious. I also made a batch of blackberry scorpion jelly that I'm liking. It's a much different flavor, with more heat. You described the lemon pepper jelly well, bright, citrusy, and the heat lingers better than jalapeno jelly. Anyway - had to drop in, it's always a pleasure to see what you are cooking or baking!

highalt · Aug 29, 2012

Well, I'm still not feeling all that great today, but had too much to do to spend it sitting around all day. After I got the kids off to school, I went by the community garden and did some harvesting, weeding, and watering. It looked like an animal had visited. A couple of branches on my peppers plants were broken off, and I found a couple of unripe tomatoes on the ground, one of them half eaten. Wish the town would put a fence around the garden, but Iam thankful the damage was minimal. Came home and edged and mowed both the front and back yard, and was so worn out by then that I had to take a short nap.

Here is today's harvest. Not bad considering I just harvested yesterday!

Here are a couple of close ups.

Inca Red Drop. I like these! They are bite sized morsels of sweet heat.

Belize Sweet. The green ones were casualties of the visitor.

Cheiro Recife. I think they may turn more red if I gave them another day or two.

Well, I'm off to pick the kids up. Thanks for stopping by!

highalt · Sep 1, 2012

Good Morning, THP! I think I'm back to the land of the living now, and thought I'd do a written review on a couple of peppers I have tried for the first time this week. Keep in mind when I'm describing heat that I'm only up to habanero level, so when I say something is hot, I'm not talking super hot.

Bulgarian Carrot - tough skins, lots of seeds, not citrusy like the Aji Yellows, but good amount of heat to them. I'd say past serrano level, and closer to a cayenne on the heat. The tough skins were not pleasant in the jelly I used them in. They would be better for drying and powdering maybe? Or pureed into a sauce. Not sure I will grow again.

Inca Red Drop - I'd say the heat level is on the low side of medium. They are sweeter and juicier than I expected, and I love that they are bite sized. The plant is short and bushy, and I think would do well in a container. I'll definitely grow this one again.

Chiero Recife - I've been excited about this one, the plants are short and bushy, and the pods looked like little Christmas ornaments hanging from the branches. This one had a strong smell when I cut it open, and a strange flavor that I'm not sure I cared for, and am not really sure how to describe. Heat was similar to Inca Red Drop. I picked the pods when they were more orange than red, so I'll let the next ones get a little more ripe before I try them. Jury's still out on this one.

Belize Sweet - This is the plant with the purple stems, very attractive. No heat at all, and not a noticeable flavor either. Walls were thin, skin was tender. I'll try a few more, before making any decisions on this one.

NOT Hawaiian Sweet Hot - Well, it might not have been an Hawaiian Sweet Hot, but it was definitely hot. Probably the hottest thing I've eaten out of the garden this year. It took several bites to get it all down. I'd say it was close to orange habanero level in heat. It had a crisp flesh, similar to the Aji Yellow, but was a little less citrusy. Nice flavor. I liked this one, I just wish I knew what it really was.

I'll try and check back in after I have a chance to go down to the garden today. Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

HillBilly Jeff · Sep 1, 2012

Very nice reviews. Your seeds are just about ready to ship, next week I am thinking.

I agree with the your Bulgarian Carrot assessment. I am giving all my pods away as I go and I am not at all happy with them. Not sure how'd they dry as thick as they are. Your heat assessment is really spot on too from what I have found.\

Glad you are back with the living!!!

highalt · Sep 1, 2012

Thanks, Jeff!

Well today's harvest was my biggest so far this season. Still haven't processed all the ones harvested earlier this week, so I need to get a plan in place for how I'm going to use all these peppers. I'd love to make some pickled pepper rings, and another round of powder. After that I'm not sure what else to make. Still waiting on the Peach Habaneros, and Serranos for jam. I was going to make some more poppers this evening, but decided not to, since the hubby used the last of the bacon up this morning. :mope:

A few close ups. The first one is a comparison shot of the "real" Hawaiian Sweet Hot pods with a couple of the NOTS.

Another possible NOT. This one is supposed to be Piment d' Espelette, but doesn't look like the other one here at the house. Good sized pods though, can't wait to try them!

The Costeno (NOT Amarillos) still cranking out the pods. Very productive plants!

Some firsts of the season. The first ripe Tobago Seasoning pod.

First ripe Cachucha pods. These were harvested here at the house, so they beat the ones at the garden.

And finally, and old favorite, the first ripe Alma Paprika pods.

Oh, and I may have figured out who my visitor at the garden is. Here is the latest fatality, a nice, ripe tomato.

Saw what I believe are hoof prints near the tomato plants today, so I'm thinking deer ... or a really large tomato eating dog.

HillBilly Jeff · Sep 1, 2012

mmmmmm deer

I would be drying those cayenne. They go good in just about everything. Lovely harvest again. I've been drying more and more as the year goes on. I think I am up to 4 ounces of lemon drop powder. It smells awesome. Going to go well in my fish breading.

The only drawback I found on pickling peppers is the vinegar taste. Love it in pickles, not so much on my peppers. Slicing and freezing is an easy way to do it, but space is critical and the peppers aren't the same afterwards either. Have you thought about canning some hot peppers in with your tomatoes? Next batch of canned tomatoes I'm doing will be the hot version.

Your pods are looking wonderful. Have you picked any black Hungarians this year? I'm anxious to grow them next year too.

stc3248 · Sep 1, 2012

I agree with Bodeen...deer mmmmm. I would gladly trade a couple tomatoes for a freezer full of venison. Freezing is a good option for your pods. Once they come out they'll still be good for cooking, saucing or powdering. You can even pre-smoke or roast them first. The tomato pairing is a great idea as well. I put away about 3 quarts of tomato/big jims and its great for making a quick chile con queso.

stickman · Sep 2, 2012

highalt said:
Hi Bonnie, Nice pull!

And finally, and old favorite, the first ripe Alma Paprika pods.

Balasz in Hungary says that out his way they stuff and pickle the Alma Paprika rather than dry and powder it. One of the popular stuffings is red cabbage. I would think ham would be good too.

Saw what I believe are hoof prints near the tomato plants today, so I'm thinking deer ... or a really large tomato eating dog.

Don't rule out a tomato-eating dog... I know of at least once such! It's a hyperactive Irish Setter out in upstate New York. He loves chasing tennis balls, and apparently puts anything of the right size and shape in his mouth... including tomatoes.

Sanarda · Sep 2, 2012

I have a family of deer that have set up camp under a canopy of i guess weeds or bushes in my backyard. They havent messed with the garden yet even tho their little home sits right next too it. Thank goodness I dont have any tomatoes back there or I would be in trouble.

highalt · Sep 2, 2012

Bodeen said:
mmmmmm deer

I would be drying those cayenne. They go good in just about everything. Lovely harvest again. I've been drying more and more as the year goes on. I think I am up to 4 ounces of lemon drop powder. It smells awesome. Going to go well in my fish breading.

The only drawback I found on pickling peppers is the vinegar taste. Love it in pickles, not so much on my peppers. Slicing and freezing is an easy way to do it, but space is critical and the peppers aren't the same afterwards either. Have you thought about canning some hot peppers in with your tomatoes? Next batch of canned tomatoes I'm doing will be the hot version.

Your pods are looking wonderful. Have you picked any black Hungarians this year? I'm anxious to grow them next year too.

I made powder from my Aji Yellows last year, and it was great with any kind of seafood.

Chopped up my first Black Hungarian yesterday and had it in an omelet. They about the same heat level as the Santa Fe, but not as sweet.

I've got quite a few green tomatoes here at the house. Just hoping to get enough of them to make a batch of something, before the season's over. The night time temps are already dropping into the low 50's.

stc3248 said:
I agree with Bodeen...deer mmmmm. I would gladly trade a couple tomatoes for a freezer full of venison. Freezing is a good option for your pods. Once they come out they'll still be good for cooking, saucing or powdering. You can even pre-smoke or roast them first. The tomato pairing is a great idea as well. I put away about 3 quarts of tomato/big jims and its great for making a quick chile con queso.

If I can't keep up with the peppers, I will resort to freezing, but I don't care for the texture of them for cooking. Once they've been frozen, they tend to become rubbery, and don't soften with cooking like a fresh one would. But if I was going to dehydrate them, or make sauce it wouldn't make any difference, Do you remove the stem or seeds first, or just stick them in there whole?

stickman said:
[background=rgb(255, 250, 242)]Balasz in Hungary says that out his way they stuff and pickle the Alma Paprika rather than dry and powder it. One of the popular stuffings is red cabbage. I would think ham would be good too. [/background]

I was thinking of maybe going the popper route with them ...

Sanarda said:
I have a family of deer that have set up camp under a canopy of i guess weeds or bushes in my backyard. They havent messed with the garden yet even tho their little home sits right next too it. Thank goodness I dont have any tomatoes back there or I would be in trouble.

Wow! How big of a family is it?

Here at the house, I don't see too many deer in the summer, but once the temps start dropping, they'll come down out of the mountains. They might get one or two tomatoes late in the season here at the house, but they don't cause too much damage to the veggie garden. Now in the winter it's another story. They will push the snow out of the way, and eat my perennials. Once the snow melts, I find out just how much they ate. The thing about the community garden is that it is closer to the river, so it's kind of on their regular evening route to get a drink. :rolleyes:

stc3248 · Sep 3, 2012

I remove most of the stems and only seed the ones I'm saving seeds for. Otherwise it all just goes in as is. A few stems doesn't hurt anything and some folks claim it adds to the flavor. They do get a bit rubbery after freezing. I dice them small and they work out ok for most dishes, beats throwing them out or letting them go bad!

Sanarda · Sep 3, 2012

[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]Wow! How big of a family is it?[/background]

I think its a family of three. Not sure. We have spotted three on late nights in the yard

[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]They will push the snow out of the way, and eat my perennials. Once the snow melts, I find out just how much they ate. The thing about the community garden is that it is closer to the river, so it's kind of on their regular evening route to get a drink. [/background]

So maybe perennials are their last result. They must not taste good... :sick:

highalt · Sep 4, 2012

stc3248 said:
I remove most of the stems and only seed the ones I'm saving seeds for. Otherwise it all just goes in as is. A few stems doesn't hurt anything and some folks claim it adds to the flavor. They do get a bit rubbery after freezing. I dice them small and they work out ok for most dishes, beats throwing them out or letting them go bad!

Yeah, that's true. I may have to go that route for the ones I'm growing for salsa, since most of my tomatoes are still green. In a perfect world, my peppers and tomatoes would come in at the same time ...

Hoping to catch up on a few glogs today, so I'll be by to check yours out later.

Sanarda said:
I think its a family of three. Not sure. We have spotted three on late nights in the yard

Okay, so right after I tell you that we don't get deer at the house until winter, my daughter comes in from playing outside and says, "Mom, I just saw a deer family. A momma deer, a daddy deer, and a baby deer." This was in the middle of the day too!

Then, when I went to the community garden yesterday afternoon, one of the other gardeners was down there, and she found a pile of deer poo in her garden. This is one of those times when I'm not glad I'm right about something. She said now that the deer know it's there, they'll keep coming back. On a positive note though, I think the Florida weave I used on the peppers will help protect them some. Since they are growing so close together the pods are a little harder to get to. Plus, having the twine running all the way down the row, keeps them from being able to cut in between the plants and cause more damage. The only thing they've eaten so far have been tomatoes, and those are spaced out where you can get all the way around them. Maybe next year, I'll use the Florida weave on the tomatoes too!

Hoping everyone had a nice Labor Day holiday. I labored in the kitchen ... just a little bit. Made a batch of Chocolate Zucchini bread, and then prepped a tray of peppers for the dehydrator, and another tray for the smoker. My husband was going to smoke some ribs, so I took advantage of the smoker being ready. I know a lot of people recommend apple or cherry wood, but all we have is mesquite. I smoked them for 90 min. at around 225 degrees. I wanted to smoke them at a lower temperature, but it was very windy, and the wood wouldn't smoke at the lower temps. Here's the finished product.

The peppers that didn't go in the smoker are still not dry yet, so I'm liking the smoking thing, 'cause it speeds up the drying process.

Yesterday's harvest

Not as big as the last one, but not bad.

I have been researching the Costeno pepper, since I wanted to be sure that my NOT Costeno Amarillo was really a Costeno (Rojo), which I'm pretty certain now that it is. Anyway, I read that it is related to the Guajillo pepper, so here is a comparison shot of the two. The Guajillo is the larger one on the right.

The differences between them are, first of all size. The Costeno is a bit hotter than the Guajillo, and way more productive. It's also earlier. The other thing is I've had problems with BER on the Guajillo, and no problems with it at all on the Costeno. Pretty sure the Costeno will be on next years grow list.

Oh, and one more thing about the BER. It seems to only be a problem with the large pod varieties, such as Guajillo, Big Jim, and Pusztagold. There is one exception, Sandia. If you look back at the harvest pic, the ginormous pod on the top right is my first ripe Sandia of the season. As you can see, the pods are huge, and not a single bit of BER so far. :woohoo:

RocketMan · Sep 4, 2012

Bodeen said:
mmmmmm deer

I would be drying those cayenne. They go good in just about everything. Lovely harvest again. I've been drying more and more as the year goes on. I think I am up to 4 ounces of lemon drop powder. It smells awesome. Going to go well in my fish breading.

The only drawback I found on pickling peppers is the vinegar taste. Love it in pickles, not so much on my peppers. Slicing and freezing is an easy way to do it, but space is critical and the peppers aren't the same afterwards either. Have you thought about canning some hot peppers in with your tomatoes? Next batch of canned tomatoes I'm doing will be the hot version.

Your pods are looking wonderful. Have you picked any black Hungarians this year? I'm anxious to grow them next year too.

Bodeen, have you tried or thought about fermenting some? I did some Jalapeno slices with some sweet onion and a touch of garlic and they were great. Not vinegary at all. Used to chop a bunch of them up to use on a burger or hot dog or use on natcho's.

highalt said:

Bonnie, that smoked powder is a beautiful color. After a 90 minute smoke, how much smoke can you taste in it?

Sanarda · Sep 4, 2012

Powder looks delicious. the color is great. Deer are NOT behaving themselves this year. at all. Ugh. I'm not familiar with Florida weave, but I'm glad its working so far. Great looking pods too :dance:

PIC 1 · Sep 4, 2012

Bonnie those are some nice harvests and the powder looks smashing. 90 minute smoke sounds good for 225 deg. Obvisously if it wasn't windy the lower (180) and slower 3 hrs would give you a softer textured chili. The smoke will only penetrate the pod to a point. Too long and the smoke flavor takes over................. :tear:

Good to hear you're feeling better, time is the key.
I'm still trying to catch up here with the recent glogs..So much info floating around. It's great to see folks using what they've grown and incorporating the harvests into a tasty meal!.

Greg

stc3248 · Sep 4, 2012

Great job on the powder Bonnie...can't wait for the flavor review. Another nice harvest too. I like Paul's mantra. Every pod a victory! I understand busy so no worries! I enjoy when you stop by so just get there when you can and take care of business at your place.

highalt · Sep 5, 2012

RocketMan said:
Bodeen, have you tried or thought about fermenting some? I did some Jalapeno slices with some sweet onion and a touch of garlic and they were great. Not vinegary at all. Used to chop a bunch of them up to use on a burger or hot dog or use on natcho's.

I don't like the vinager taste either. I should probably try fermentation, but I need to read up on it first. Scared I'll do it wrong, and make my family sick or something.

Bonnie, that smoked powder is a beautiful color. After a 90 minute smoke, how much smoke can you taste in it?

I thought it was about right. You could really smell the difference between that batch, and the one that went straight to the dehydrator.

Sanarda said:
Powder looks delicious. the color is great. Deer are NOT behaving themselves this year. at all. Ugh. I'm not familiar with Florida weave, but I'm glad its working so far. Great looking pods too

Pia, if you want to learn about the Florida weave technique, which is just a support system for the plants, check out Alabama Jack's glog. That's where I got the idea.

PIC 1 said:
Bonnie those are some nice harvests and the powder looks smashing. 90 minute smoke sounds good for 225 deg. Obvisously if it wasn't windy the lower (180) and slower 3 hrs would give you a softer textured chili. The smoke will only penetrate the pod to a point. Too long and the smoke flavor takes over.................
Good to hear you're feeling better, time is the key.
I'm still trying to catch up here with the recent glogs..So much info floating around. It's great to see folks using what they've grown and incorporating the harvests into a tasty meal!.

Greg

Hi Greg! I didn't really have the option of leaving them in any longer, because my husband was waiting to put the ribs in there for our dinner. With using mesquite, I wanted to be careful not to overdo it anyway, so that the smoke flavor didn't overpower the pepper flavor.

stc3248 said:
Great job on the powder Bonnie...can't wait for the flavor review. Another nice harvest too. I like Paul's mantra. Every pod a victory! I understand busy so no worries! I enjoy when you stop by so just get there when you can and take care of business at your place.

Haven't used it for cooking yet, but the little bit I tasted had a nice smoky flavor, and a medium heat level.

Today's harvest

A couple of firsts.

First Sucette de Provence

First Rain Forest pods. Jumped the gun a bit. They should be red. I'll give them a few days to finish ripening before I try them.

Ate my first Hawaiian Sweet Hot this morning. Started down at the end, and the heat was there, but not too intense. Oddly enough, it gave me an instant case of the hiccups. That's the first time I've ever had that happen before, and it was even a super hot! The last bite I got had a good bit of placenta on it, and I did start to feel it in the back of my throat, and my face felt hot. The heat lingered for a few minutes. I'm thinking this would be a good salsa pepper.