I am growing some real spicy ones - Ghost and Carolina Reapers - as well as moderate ones like Jalapenos. I tried a tiny bit of the Ghost yesterday and it was very spicy but palatable. I am afraid to try the Reapers. I am giving them away. I just bought the plant because my grandson thought “Danger, excess consumption may cause death” was a funny sign at the garden store.
It seems that the hotter they are, the better they grow and the more prolific they fruit. What are your favorites and what is your experience growing peppers?
I have some Aji Cristal and Aji Dulce I grew from seed. The Cristal is prolific and I’m going to have a massive amount. They have a bit of citrus flavor with decent heat (30k Scoville) but not like Reapers or Ghost. We use them in various foods like pizza or soups and sauces for the flavor and a bit of heat. The Dulce are quite mild at 1k Scoville and just add flavor.
Eden Brothers sent me a bonus pack of Jamaican seeds that are growing well but they will be 100k+ and that’s too much for me. I’ll turn those into some chili oil.
Then I have the non hots like poblano and shishito.
Either way my friends are going to get a ton of peppers this year as my germination rate was so good. Next year I need maybe half as many plants.
I can’t do hot peppers anymore, not that I truly enjoyed them, but now when I cut open something as mild as a Poblano, I start having a bit of asthma attack.
Take one, cut a SMALL bit off the bottom. Rub the cut end in some melted butter/oil in a hot pan for a few seconds. Make some scrambled eggs. Gives you an idea of the flavor but with manageable heat.
Thank goodness, I only have the reaction while I’m cutting them up while raw. I can eat them after they’re cooked. I don’t have any problem with other nightshades.
