My humble readers, I need your aid. Last year I grew about 15 chile pepper varieties. In which some were of superior culinary quality. I must admit, two to three of these varieties attracted my taste buds in a to me unpredictable pathological fashion.
After having thought of the situation, by trying to analyze what it was more specifically that I liked. I realized, there were some factors that was distinguishable.
1. Strength of the variety. Wether it is important for everyone or not is hard to say. But subjectively I find it important. With that I mean that I grow a pepper variety not only for the taste, but I want to feel some kind of heat. I quickly fell in love with some of the hottest varietes such as B. Jolokia, Naga Morich, Chocolate Scotch Bonnet. Not out of a masochistical behavioristical pattern. But simply, because I love the heat. Meaning, to use old terminology, I am a Chilehead.
2. Taste/Aroma, speaks for itself? This is where the complexity comes in. This is where I need my humble readers help. This factor differs. I need to know what you like. You do not need to motivate it even. I would be happy and honored if you also motivated though.
3. Characteristic, some varieties have different characteristics. Like the Chocolate Scotch Bonnet have a smokey, sweety flavour and spread out its heat differently then the B. Jolokia for example. This is important to me. Because that means I know more specifically how I can use the eating variety in the dishes.
Number two and three go hand in hand.
There are also other factors that can be interesting to take into consideration before growing a specific eating variety. How attractive is the plant/pods? How productive is it? During what conditions? How easy is it to get up from seed to fully productive plant?
The list can be made pretty long. If I stick to the three mentioned above, then I hope, or believe we have a good base.
( Here we go presentation mode initiated)
My top three eating varieties.
1. Chocolate Scotch Bonnet ( smokey, fruity, discrete initial heat inducing process, it can be considered as a good foreplay sexually)
2. B. Jolokia / Naga Morich ( Majestical heat, smashes right into your taste buds. Quite Aromatic as well)
3. Chocolate Jolokia ( Hot? Yes, Aromatic? Yes. Reason is why it is on third place is because I think it is a bit less hot then the B. Jolokia and less Aromatic according to my interpretation)
I checked different pepper forums of the top varieties people liked there. I saw that the scotch Bonnet varities were up as number one on some lists. Let me know what you think are best eating varieties?
fredag 1 oktober 2010
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4 kommentarer:
Hmmm, you're a demanding friend, that's for sure.
First of all, I have to admit that I'm not playing in your league (apart from one species). I will come back to why later.
My preferences are as follows:
1. Rocoto's (white and brown are the only ones I've tried so far, but holy crap, they are superb, delicious and rare)
2. Hot Orange and Hot Lemon (both with other names as well, as usual)
3. Serrano (Just great alround fruits. Use as fresh green or red, as powder or dried, and last but not least, excellent as Chipotles)
4. Chocolate Scotch Bonnet (!...Yeah, this was the Joker in this context)
Reasons:
Rocoto's tasts pretty strong with a rich, but fresh flavor. They are also so very late in maturity, and when you have waited for ever before you can taste them, you bring the expectations up. Furthermore (at least for me) the Rocoto's doesn't set that many fruits as most other species, which makes them rare (= must be enjoyed in a special way, so it may be an illusion)
Hot Lemon and Orange have a smooth heat, pretty strong and intense though, and a rich citrus flavour to it. Hot Orange produces like rabbits or more, Hot Lemon pretty good. A strong recommendation to use on Pizza, Hamburgers and other greasy food.
Chocolate Scotch B was a pleasant surprise to me, since I'm not very keen on the typical Habanero flavour (don't know what it is, but my guess is the simularity to Rose hips, which I can't stand) The C.S.B. was really good in my book. Specially as Chipotle, that's a super winner.
Now to my theory:
My preferences are to have enough crisp in combination with heat. Because of that, I can't enjoy the species with too much heat to their full extent. Simply put, I rather take more chili to get up to the level I enjoy and enjoy the full crispiness and heat, than put a fragment of a anabolic wrinkled freakfruit in a 2 pound stew and almost kill myself without my beloved cripsyness.
E.g. on the cheese sandwich, I can NOT put enough Jolokia on that piece of hard bread and cheese to make it crispy enough. That would probably kill me.... On the other hand, I can slice a good Rocoto in some 5mm slices and cover the entire sandwich and just have enough heat to suffer enough to get the "runners high" (which I love)
So as a conclusion: Grow more plants, crispyness 4 All.
Now for some more Lagavulin double matured. Thanks for your attention. :)
Fatalii. Try a Fatalii and you'll be hooked for life.
My most humblest thanks to you guys for the information. I trust your words and will try 3 out of 4 of your suggestions. I need to get the seeds of the hot lemon, hot orange and fatalii. Seed trade? I will make a small list of seeds I have. Might as well do it sooner or later. Need to get off the computer now. Catch you guys later.
Yours,
Michael
That's hard. Well, I consider myself to be a 50/50 baccatum/chinense guy. But there are other delicious varieties!
I think that it's hard to beat a really good orange habanero! Perfect heat and taste.
Cheiro de Para. A small delicious chinense from Brasil.
Cumari. Another small delicious chinense from Brasil.
Peru yellow (or hot lemon). I think they are great.
Dedo de moça. Another great baccatum.
Rocoto/manzano/canario. Pubescens. Actually, I think they may be the most delicious of all. Good as they are!
Tabasco, or malagueta. Capsicum frutescens. Fantastic varieties!
Some Capsicum chacoense are great. I love the peppery taste.
I could probably go on even longer. Different varieties are good in different dishes.
What did it say on Dave's insanity sauce? Something like: "Especially good on seefood. That is all the food you see" :-)
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