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Stickman's 2016 Gochu Glog- Transplanting is Finished

Hi All, I'm back again after quite a while and more than a few changes. Health issues got in the way of being active here after Christmas, but I've resolved those and am ready to plug in here again, albeit with less time than I had before. Anyway... on to the chiles!
 
My friends with a CISA farm have started 6 MoA Scotch Bonnets, what I hope are 2 King Nagas and a couple of Jalapenos. I have three 1020 trays worth of 3inch pots planted with 4 varieties of Gochu peppers. I sowed them a week ago and they're just now starting to sprout. I also have 12 pots of Texas Wild Pequins and 6 pots of Guwahati Bhuts planted that haven't started to sprout.
 
In addition to the solar food dryer, I picked up a stainless steel 10-quart pressure cooker at Christmas time, so I'm planning on experimenting with using it to process purees and sauces to hopefully make them more shelf-stable. Any input on that would be gratefully accepted. :)
 
Gochus starting...
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Chinense varieties and Jalapenos
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That's all for now... see ya all later! :party:
 
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I'm all caught up. Glad to see the Solar D, up and running. That salsa looks great. Burritos! Yum!


How was the Aji Pineapple? That one is huge. I hope it didn't taste soapy. I've never had them taste that way. Mine are thinking about turning. When they do I'll have my hands full.
 
Devv said:
Love the foodies!
One can't beat the Mexican based dishes ;)
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S'right brother! The combination in the salsa was a good one. I've only recently started liking Avocado... I used to think it was kinda bland, but it added a lot of Umami to the dish that complemented the tang of the Lime and Tomatillos, the punch of the chiles and the herbal freshness of the Cilantro.
 
OCD Chilehead said:
I'm all caught up. Glad to see the Solar D, up and running. That salsa looks great. Burritos! Yum!


How was the Aji Pineapple? That one is huge. I hope it didn't taste soapy. I've never had them taste that way. Mine are thinking about turning. When they do I'll have my hands full.
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Thanks Chuck! The harvest is only filling it half full ATM, but I expect that'll change fairly soon. Here's the output so far... Pequins, Cherry Tomatoes and Gochus
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I didn't get any pics when I sampled the Aji Pineapple, but I did my usual and took a slice out of the middle of the pod so I could get a bit of placenta along with the flesh. Yup... it was a very clean-tasting chile with no soapy flavor. Initially very sweet and crunchy. It had a moderate heat that at first went for the back of the tongue and throat, but crept forward to the middle of the tongue. I didn't pick up any fruity or citrus-y notes, but the pod was barely past green. I'll have to let them ripen up a bit more before picking them in future... I was just in a tearing hurry to sample this one. ;)
 
Very cool. I like the collection so far. Glad to here it wasn't soapy. I've never tasted citrus or pineapple flavor in Lemondrops or Pineapples. Some people say they can taste those flavors but not me. Same thing with the BBG. No bubblegum, Tate more like a hot coal. LOL

I read abunchbof stuff awhile back on solar cooking. I immediately thought of you. I think it was in Brazil or Venezuela, they had a shortage of energy. This one eatery would set up in front of the store a bunch of solar cookers. They said they serve 200 people a day. That really interests me. Looks like something I could build. That stuff interests me. Think you could bake cookies or bread in yours?
 
OCD Chilehead said:
Very cool. I like the collection so far. Glad to here it wasn't soapy. I've never tasted citrus or pineapple flavor in Lemondrops or Pineapples. Some people say they can taste those flavors but not me. Same thing with the BBG. No bubblegum, Tate more like a hot coal. LOL
 
Oh good, so it's not just me. :P

I read abunchbof stuff awhile back on solar cooking. I immediately thought of you. I think it was in Brazil or Venezuela, they had a shortage of energy. This one eatery would set up in front of the store a bunch of solar cookers. They said they serve 200 people a day. That really interests me. Looks like something I could build. That stuff interests me. Think you could bake cookies or bread in yours?
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I wouldn't be able to cook anything in the solar dehydrator, though I could make jerky. There are several ways you could go if you want to experiment with solar cooking. There's the box-type solar cooker   http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/%22Minimum%22_Solar_Box_Cooker
Parabolic Dish Cooker   http://solarcooking.org/plans/dats.htm
Vacuum Tube Solar Cooker   http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Evacuated_tube_solar_cooker_designs
 I made a 3 foot diameter DATS parabolic cooker out of old election signs and potato chip bags held together with gorilla tape after experimenting with the 2-foot model made with corrugated cardboard last year.  http://thehotpepper.com/topic/52879-stickmans-2015-thats-all-she-wrote/page-35#entry1222836
 
That one you built looks great. Did you get a chance to use it. The ones I saw in the other country, where a box with glass lid. They had 4 pieces of sheet metal that were painted silver. Yours looks professional. Thanks for the information. Got my mind moving.
 
OCD Chilehead said:
That one you built looks great. Did you get a chance to use it. The ones I saw in the other country, where a box with glass lid. They had 4 pieces of sheet metal that were painted silver. Yours looks professional. Thanks for the information. Got my mind moving.
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Yup, those would be box cookers. The box is colored flat black inside to absorb sunlight and radiate heat. The glass lid lets light through to the black coating and holds the heat inside the box. The reflector panels collect more sunlight and direct it into the box. The only downsides to solar cooking are you have to dance fairly close attendance when using them... You have to re-position them every 45 minutes to an hour to follow the path of the sun across the sky unless you have a clock drive like they use to compensate for the earth's rotation when using a telescope to star-gaze... and the cooking temperatures aren't that intense, so it takes longer to cook things. I used my DATS parabolic to cook a cup of rice in about 3 or 4 hours last September. I hope the new, larger one will have shorter cook times since it can gather more sunlight. I like the parabolic dish design since it doesn't need to have the cooking pot inside an oven bag or box cooker to hold the heat.
 
Devv said:
I had some Peach Hab Jam on my English muffin this morning. It was fantastic Rick! The perfect blend of fruit flavor with a touch of heat to let you know peppers were in the mix. :P  That jar will go fast! Thanks again!
The Gochu's are in the dehydrator, they should be ready soon. I forgot to ask, what is the powder made of? I haven't had a chance to test it out yet.
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Glad you liked it Scott! The Habs in the jam being MoA Bonnets... :drooling:  Have you shared it with LB? The powder is a melange of what I was growing last year and what other folks sent me then as well. It all went into the solar dehydrator and then got ground to powder. On my end, I added Bhuts, Fatalis, Prik Kee Nu, Caribbean Red Habs, Leutshauer Paprikas, Tabascos, Hawaiian Birds and the "Not" King Nagas that looked like a peach-colored Mako Akokrosades.
 
I also grew some of my Poblanos out last year 'til they got ripe and dried them in the solar dehydrator to make Anchos. Tonight I made 5-alarm chili with those Anchos and the last of my 2014 chili powder, plus Jalapenos and Pequins from this year's gardens. It was hot enough to make you sweat, but oh, so tasty!
 
Devv said:
LB said she would try it, and I'm sure it will be a hit. She's starting to get into hotter foods, the Jam is really easy to eat, and just wonderful flavor!
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Cool! It's hotter than most people I know like it, but after long association with me, my wife likes the heat level too.
 
Sampled my first Moruga pod this morning. my initial impression after cutting into the pod was a fruity aroma that reminded me of cherries. There was no sweetness in the flavor though. A pretty straightforward Chinense with no unpleasant flavors. Very hot though! The heat kicked in after about 20 seconds and continued to build for 5 minutes... initially affecting the back and middle of the tongue and staying there throughout. The burn continued strong for about 15 minutes before beginning to fade to a warm glow in my mouth and stomach. I cut half of the pod into some scrambled eggs and made a breakfast burrito with rice, refried beans, the leftover avocado salsa and cheese.
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Have a great Thursday all!
 
Guatemalan Insanity Pepper said:
yum :drooling:
morugas for breakfast, you don't mess around :D
 
 
looks great
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Nossir, we do not. (see tagline) ;)
 
I came home from work to find some pepper love from brother Chuck in the mailbox! :onfire:  You rock bro', thanks so much! I'll definitely be planting those seeds next year. Are the larger Cayenne-types the Sadabahars and the teeming multitude of smaller ones Thais? There's lots O' curries in that box for sure! :drooling:
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You musta got that Colorado Mojo workin' Chuck, because a bunch of Aji Pineapples have all started ripening up at once.
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Cheers!
 
I see you like to start the day on the warm side ;)  Yeah, the Moruga's do have some heat there!
 
Good deal on Chuck sending you some pepper love! The people here are the best!
 
I don't feel the jam is too hot, and LB should have no problem with it. She already latched on to the Bonnet puree, as she loves the yellow bonnets, "that's for wings and ribs". She mixes it with honey and BBQ sauce. Funny a year ago a stuffed jal was too hot for her..she's starting to taste the flavors instead of dealing with the heat. A good sign ;)
 
Your pepper plants are so healthy looking.  Looks like you will have lots to harvest later.  I know you will put them to good use, being the chef that you are.  
I will not be growing to many hots next year, as my tolerance is not that high.  Just the usual Jalapeño, cayenne and  Oaxaca types.  I need to get rid of 
a lot of my seeds.  Looks like a giveaway may be in order soon.  
 
Thanks Rick!

I don't know my Gochu's. Are these two different varieties, or the same? I think you said you like to dehydrate them. I like to cook with a lot of fresh peppers. Which do you prefer?
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Thanks for the bonnets. The long one looks like a Bhut Jolokia and the others a Naga of some sort. Not sure.
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Thanks again. You rock!
 
OCD Chilehead said:
Thanks Rick!

I don't know my Gochu's. Are these two different varieties, or the same? I think you said you like to dehydrate them. I like to cook with a lot of fresh peppers. Which do you prefer?
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Thanks for the bonnets. The long one looks like a Bhut Jolokia and the others a Naga of some sort. Not sure.
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Thanks again. You rock!
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Glad they came through OK for you Chuck! There's 3 varieties of Gochus. The short fat ones are the Lady Hermit heirloom variety from Kitazawa Seeds. They're sweet and fairly mild for Gochus. The long, skinny ones that look slightly twisted are the ones called Saeng Cho. They're an heirloom variety collected from a farmer's market in Korea by BootsieB. They have more heat and a bit of sweet fruity-ness. The long, fat, slightly curved Gochus are a Hybrid variety from Evergreen Seeds called Korea Winner. I've been growing them the longest. They are similar to the Saeng Cho for flavor and heat. All are great dried and ground or flaked, but they can be eaten fresh if you don't mind the thin flesh and thick skin on the pods. The rest you nailed... MoA Scotch Bonnets, Red Bhuts and King Nagas. Cheers!
 
Some really nice peppers there Rick ;)
 
Thanks again for the ones you sent my way. LB tried the Jam this morning and loved it. She came up with the same vote as I did; nice sweet peach taste with just the right amount of pepper heat to compliment the jam ;)
 
I think she may well turn into a pepper lover :P
 
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