Stickman's 2012 Gochu Pepper Glog

Well, here we go... Started about 35 Korean Gochu Peppers and a few Korean salad peppers, jalapenos and orange habs. All are mostly up today but the habs. I started them early last week in my heated grow tent down in my cellar on top of a grow mat, but didn't have the thermostat quite dialed in. When I left it it was 70 degrees f. in the tent. When I checked again the next morning it was 85 degrees, and I was afraid I'd cooked the seeds, so I moved them onto my kitchen windowsill on the grow mat and awaited developments. Looking much better now. I'll give the Habs until the weekend to pop, then move the flat down to the grow tent.

 

[highalt]

If you like the Frigitello peppers, you might try Cosa Arrugada. The pods look very similar with that wrinkled appearance, except the Cosa Arrugada's are a bit longer. They have no heat, but make a nice sweet paprika if harvested red. I only had one plant, and couldn't believe how many pods I got off of it.

Can't remember if I sent you seeds for that one in the seed swap, but if I didn't, and you're interested just let me know.

 

[PaulG]

All right! Bonnie is a page topper!

Your pepper garden is looking fantastic, Rick! Really has grown
up since I last saw it a month ago RM is right, your glog has a
bit of everything and is always fun to read. Wish I was an accomplished
cook like yourself, but that just hasn't been my lot in life so far!

Keep the great reports coming, bro!

 

[stickman]

That does suck! Bright sides are I bet they looked nice for a while and you have enough for potato salad for one!

Hi Shane!
That's right... I did say I needed to lose weight didn't I...

If you like the Frigitello peppers, you might try Cosa Arrugada. The pods look very similar with that wrinkled appearance, except the Cosa Arrugada's are a bit longer. They have no heat, but make a nice sweet paprika if harvested red. I only had one plant, and couldn't believe how many pods I got off of it.

Can't remember if I sent you seeds for that one in the seed swap, but if I didn't, and you're interested just let me know.

Hi Bonnie!
I was mostly interested in Mexican chiles when you had the seed swap, so I didn't get any of the Cosa Arrugada, but I did get some seeds from BootsieB that looked almost identical to it. He picked them up from a seed company in Korea and they called them "Gwari Put". The main difference from the Cosa Arrugada is that the Gwaris are about as hot as a Jalapeno, but don't have the same flavor as the Frigitellos. They're great for curries or pickling but the ones I've tried have had a hint of bitterness to them, so I don't think I'd use them fresh for salsas or snacking unless I slathered them with Gochujang like Hooda.

All right! Bonnie is a page topper!

Ya, top o' the page high five Bonnie!

Your pepper garden is looking fantastic, Rick! Really has grown
up since I last saw it a month ago RM is right, your glog has a
bit of everything and is always fun to read. Wish I was an accomplished
cook like yourself, but that just hasn't been my lot in life so far!

Keep the great reports coming, bro!

HI Paul! Glad to have you back! Hope things are settling out with your family.
There's no shame to it if you don't hear the call to be a chef... Nobody has enough time to do everything they want, let alone to try things they're unsure of. Take care buddy... We'll see ya around the campus...

 

[stickman]

Hi Folks
Nothing to report on the pepper hedge, but the veggies are doing quite well. I was going to pick some Collard greens today but I got so many green beans I guess it'll have to wait until tomorrow...

 

[stickman]

Fired up the grill and roasted the Anaheims for Chiles Rellenos tonight.

 

[stickman]

Hello Friends... Time once more for the report of the dawn patrol. The Chimayos and Gochus are continuing to ripen

Chimayos

Kim-Chi Gochus

Habaneros are LOADED, and more coming all the time... There's no way they'll all ripen before frost, so I'm thinking seriously about potting them up this fall and bringing them inside to finish up and overwinter.

Orange Habaneros

The remaining Poblano is chugging along. Since my potential harvest is cut in half, I think I'll let them all get red ripe and dry them out for Anchos.

Poblano

I've started a ristra for the Chimayo chiles and will add more as they ripen. When I get enough of the Gochus, I'll start some for those as well.

Had a last-minute schedule change yesterday afternoon, so no time to make Chiles Rellenos before my wife went out to a Toastmasters meeting... (One of the occupational hazards of being a Home Health Aide) so I made a Moroccan eggplant dish called Zaalouk. It's a lot like Baba Ganouj in that it starts with smoke-roasted eggplant pulp, but it's flavored differently with green pepper, chiles, tomato, garlic, cumin, turmeric, ginger, fresh parsley and cilantro, salt, black pepper, olive oil and preserved lemon. I roasted the eggplant after doing the Anaheim chiles... no sense wasting a hot charcoal fire... and cooked it up to serve alongside the chiles rellenos. Since I was squeezed for time I added a can of kidney beans and we used pieces of bread to scoop up the eggplant "salad".

 

[RocketMan]

Man, you still making me hungry, that looks great! As my wife is of Lebaneese descent I make alot of Hummas and I'll get Pita's and using a Pizza cutter cut them into wedges. They go on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 350. Pretty soon you have some really great Pita chips which I bet would be great with that.

Cheers

 

[PaulG]

Your plants are really pod dense, Rick!
And your culinary exploits are always fun
to look at even if we don't get a bite! Those
Chimayos must be thin skinned to be able
to dry in a rista, no?

Keep up the good work, my friend!

 

[stickman]

Man, you still making me hungry, that looks great! As my wife is of Lebaneese descent I make alot of Hummas and I'll get Pita's and using a Pizza cutter cut them into wedges. They go on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 350. Pretty soon you have some really great Pita chips which I bet would be great with that.

Cheers

Hi Bill,
Roger that... If I'd have had more time we probably would've made toast.I'll bet you get a lot of great Mediterranean food eh? Have a great weekend... The ground cherries haven't ripened here yet, but when they do I'll scoop some up and save them for you and your kids.

Your plants are really pod dense, Rick!
And your culinary exploits are always fun
to look at even if we don't get a bite! Those
Chimayos must be thin skinned to be able
to dry in a rista, no?

Keep up the good work, my friend!

Hi Paul
yeah, the Chimayos are thin skinned for their size... makes sun-drying easier. If you're ever out in southern New England stop by. We can always shove some stuff aside and put more water in the soup... Cheers!

 

[Pinoy83]

Nice pods on your orange habs and goos idea for the ristra for your cimayos

 

[stickman]

Got a "Care package" yesterday from SocalChilihead with a few of his ripe chiles. Thanks Fernando!

I'm going to make a batch of spicy pickles later today, and I plan on using at least one of the Cayenne Thick chiles in that, but breakfast first... I chopped up the baby Fatali and stirred it into some leftover black beans from supper last night and made Huevos Rancheros with the beans, yellow rice, corn tortillas, Tomatillo salsa and a couple of fried eggs.

The burn was almost immediate, but not at all overwhelming. Boy, I hope not... it was only literally a pinch of the fresh pepper when I chopped it up though I left the placenta and seeds in. Felt the burn in my mouth and on the back of my tongue, but that was about it. Broke a sweat that is still with me a half an hour later, but the burn started to subside before I had finished the plate. Gives me hope that the superhots are not so fearful as I've thought. Thanks once again Fernando!

 

[SocalChilehead]

Hey Rick glad they got there safe was worried with the heat it would ruin them. The small red pepper is what I am calling "Aji Joe Mystery" and the fat one is a 7 pod Chaguanes it should be a #2 but with the characteristics it is more of a #1 the new ones are forming into the more traditional #2. That fatalii was coming out strange in color looked peachish, but I will send you more once others ripen up. Glad you enjoyed it the lemon were baby pods I have trimmed them all off and now starting to get tradition size pods they are amazing my only overwinter this year.

 

[stickman]

Made up 6 quarts of spicy pickles this morning, and have 3 quarts of pickled Frigitello peppers in the hot water bath canner.

Frigitello pics to follow...

 

[stc3248]

Huevos Rancheros are my favorite breakfast. I used to get them at a small truckstop in El Paso in my younger years. When I moved away I would still stop there every time I drove though there several times a year...last time I went they had CLOSED! Never found any as good...I make my own from time to time, and they're close. Yours look absolutely fantastic! Pickles look really good as well. I always need a snack after reading your glog brother!

 

[stickman]

Huevos Rancheros are my favorite breakfast. I used to get them at a small truckstop in El Paso in my younger years. When I moved away I would still stop there every time I drove though there several times a year...last time I went they had CLOSED! Never found any as good...I make my own from time to time, and they're close. Yours look absolutely fantastic! Pickles look really good as well. I always need a snack after reading your glog brother!

Hi Shane, thanks for stopping by and the kind words...
I've had what was called Huevos Rancheros before, but up here in Yankee land it's hard to find good corn tortillas, so it was usually served with cornbread instead. I like warm tortillas better. Are you doing any smoking with your new grill this weekend? My sister is visiting from Eau Claire, WI with her 12-year-old daughter, and she wants curry for her birthday so I got 3 pounds of lamb which I'll chunk up and marinate tonight for kebabs tomorrow. The peaches are in a few weeks early here so I'll also make peach chutney, coconut basmati rice and Kashmiri-style Collard greens with Chiles, Mustard Oil and Asafoetida. Have a great weekend!

Pickled Frigitello peppers.

 

[stc3248]

Yeah man...smoker has been fired up since sunrise. I already finished smoking a big batch of super pods and Manzanos for another round of powder. Trying something new now. I have a basket full of quartered tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in there with some green chiles. Momma loves to cook with "roasted tomato and green chili" out of the can. So I am trying to make a batch. We shall see. Tonight its venison steaks along with some venison sausage stuffed poppers and peppers. Tomorrow is going to be a "beef and broccoli" type meal but venison instead...throw in some home grown green beans over rice. Should be a great foodie weekend at the Shane Casa! You???

 

[stickman]

Yeah man...smoker has been fired up since sunrise. I already finished smoking a big batch of super pods and Manzanos for another round of powder. Trying something new now. I have a basket full of quartered tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in there with some green chiles. Momma loves to cook with "roasted tomato and green chili" out of the can. So I am trying to make a batch. We shall see. Tonight its venison steaks along with some venison sausage stuffed poppers and peppers. Tomorrow is going to be a "beef and broccoli" type meal but venison instead...throw in some home grown green beans over rice. Should be a great foodie weekend at the Shane Casa! You???

Oh yeah! Mexican last night and leftovers tonight, then a big Kebab and curry day tomorrow. I started a ristra of the gochu peppers today, so we're on our way there too. Cheers

 

[SocalChilehead]

mmmm spicy pickles that is on my to do list for this year. There is always something awesome to see here.

 

[stc3248]

No dawn patrol today...

 

[PaulG]

Rick, that dinner and breakfast look fantastic.
I can sweep and clean pretty good. Can I move in?

Fernando is an awesome dude. He provided me with my first
taste of a non-poblano or serrano or jalapeno pepper, and has
sent lots of seeds. We love you, Nando!

I'm very happy to hear and see that your pepper plants are
kicking in big time! I have enjoyed the korean chiles and food
education you have included in your glog! Keep up the good
work, my friend!