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Tried a Manzano Rocoto for the first time

The manzano rocoto is the only fresh pepper that I have had an issue with. 
At the time (around 2002) I had a modest collection of hot Capsicum species and I was eating habaneros right off the plants but the manzano was something else...
 
I literally could not keep them down when I ate them fresh and entire. 
 
They are amazing when cooked and presented no issues for me that way. 
 
I've been meaning to try growing them again but they don't fit into my Capsicum projects at present and I need all the space I have.
 
Walchit said:
I got some at the Mexican grocery store, thought being so big they probably wouldnt be that hot. I stuffed them with cruahed pineapple and grilled them. Took a big bite and they were a lot hotter than I was expecting. Ended up turning them into some sauce lol
 
:D
 
That was my first impression as well... I was "introduced" to this pepper by my relatives from Michoacán. They grow a lot of rocoto in that region, though they mainly call it chile perón. The climate there is somewhat colder, especially during the nights. I assume the high altitude has something to do with it (the state capital is at ~1900m altitude).
 
Here in Chiapas, rocoto is grown on a small scale for local consumption, and only in the highlands (as far as I know), and manzano is the name they give to habanero :rolleyes: .
 
Doña Ángela (Michoacán) uses perones regularly, for instance in Carne Apache (with Eng. subtitles).
 
After seeing this thread, I just happened to find some of these at the local market the other day. The fruits look identical to the ones in the photos above but don't taste any different than a bell pepper. I am assuming I must have just grabbed a dud? 
 
Edaxflamma said:
After seeing this thread, I just happened to find some of these at the local market the other day. The fruits look identical to the ones in the photos above but don't taste any different than a bell pepper. I am assuming I must have just grabbed a dud?
Not uncommon to get a grassy flavor with some. Save some seeds and grow your own,you can let them fully ripen.They are really nice looking plants.
 
Edaxflamma said:
After seeing this thread, I just happened to find some of these at the local market the other day. The fruits look identical to the ones in the photos above but don't taste any different than a bell pepper. I am assuming I must have just grabbed a dud? 
 
Rocoto has black seeds, bell peppers white. What did you have?
 
The fruit was shaped like the ones in the photos and the seeds are black.
8519CD01-16C4-406E-A053-CA11235B137D.jpeg
 
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