Tasting Capsicum flexuosum - Wow!!!

Nigel

Nigel

Many thanks go to Christopher Phillips for sending me this extremely rare wild Capsicum species.
 
The aromas on this pepper are so different, it`s very hard to describe, but they smell a little sweet, slightly of vanilla and surprisingly, of White Sapote fruit. There`s a creaminess and slight tough of really lovely bitterness to the aromas. 
 
The texture of this pepper was also unique. The flesh was very similar to a grape, certainly a lot less than a grape, but that same kind of texture. 
 
The overall flavour was an amazing mix. Slightly unripe Banana, a little tannic, tropical fruity, similar to the flavor of a ripe papaya, a touch of vanilla and then some green grass and  very mild Jamaican Jerk spice. Just incredible flavours that I absolutely loved.
 
The heat was a big surprise. These little things pack quite a good bit of heat. Roughly between that of a Jalapeño and Cayenne. Far more than I expected, that`s for sure!
 
I feel so incredibly lucky and truly honored to eat this kind of pepper. Not only is it incredibly rare, but it is incredibly delicious!!!
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cNd2O3klx4&feature=youtu.be
 
Texture is very similar to lanceolatum with better flavor. A grape is a perfect description. The plants aren't too shabby either ;)
 
 
Edit: After watching the video,hats off to Chris for growing that pod. Very large for this species!
 
Great review Nigel. Nice to see to see you enjoying that one. I understand it is rare and hard to grow, but for those who have succeeded is it productive, say like Cumari Do Para, or does it only produce a few pods?
 
SL3 said:
Great review Nigel. Nice to see to see you enjoying that one. I understand it is rare and hard to grow, but for those who have succeeded is it productive, say like Cumari Do Para, or does it only produce a few pods?
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Produces a lot of fruit that are parthenocarpic. Hard to get a lot of seed from the plants. Mine produce more pollen and nicer fruit late in the season.
 
Hi Nigel great review as ever, I wish I had such a trained palate and the ability to separate all the little nuances and different smells.
It takes a true talent to get your taste buds and nose to work together and discern what each little flavor is like and how much heat such a little pepper it has.
C. Flexuosum is definitely a rare and difficult species to grow, Am I correct that it is one of the 26 Chromosome species? if so I wonder how much of its DNA plays a role in the unique flavonoids and capsaicin oil placement within the pepper being that it has no real placenta or nodules to hold the oils.
 
wildseed57 said:
Hi Nigel great review as ever, I wish I had such a trained palate and the ability to separate all the little nuances and different smells.
It takes a true talent to get your taste buds and nose to work together and discern what each little flavor is like and how much heat such a little pepper it has.
C. Flexuosum is definitely a rare and difficult species to grow, Am I correct that it is one of the 26 Chromosome species? if so I wonder how much of its DNA plays a role in the unique flavonoids and capsaicin oil placement within the pepper being that it has no real placenta or nodules to hold the oils.
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Hi George. Thank you for the compliments, my friend. It is very surprising to me, given where it comes from, to find that flexuosum has 24 chromosomes. Quite what it`s evolutionary story is, I don`t know, but it is incredibly different to any other Capsicum I`ve had. John says that Lanceolatum is similar, which is interesting. I have a small Lanceolatum plant, so maybe I`ll get to try one of those, too!
 
Nigel said:
Hi George. Thank you for the compliments, my friend. It is very surprising to me, given where it comes from, to find that flexuosum has 24 chromosomes. Quite what it`s evolutionary story is, I don`t know, but it is incredibly different to any other Capsicum I`ve had. John says that Lanceolatum is similar, which is interesting. I have a small Lanceolatum plant, so maybe I`ll get to try one of those, too!
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Let me get my seed stock up and I will get you some to try. A couple weeks probably. Very bland taste and little heat. The texture is very similar to flexuosum,maybe not as juicy. Suprisingly dense for a wild variety.
 
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