Peppers Information - 101

About Chili (the stuff you eat from a bowl)

The National Chile Appreciation Society has a web site that you will probably find helpful. Visit them at http://www.chili.org/

What is a Chipotle?

A chipotle is a dried and smoked jalapeno - like a raisin is to a grape, a chipotle is to a jalapeno.

Frost and Pepper Plants

Dave Dewitt says, "Generally speaking, if chiles start to ripen, they will continue to attain full ripeness. If picked totally green, they usually will not ripen.

"For light frosts, cover the plants with floating row covers, or even old bed sheets or towels. This usually helps. For a hard freeze, these won't work."

Dave Dewitt is the author of several books on chiles, including The Pepper Garden Book

Horseradish

FireGirl knows very little about horseradish. We do sell Alive and Well Hot Horseradish Mustard https://hotsaucecatalog.com/alive-and-well-hot-horseradish-mustard/

Believe it or not, however, there is a web site all about horseradish at http://www.horseradish.org

Pepper Identification

There are lots of hybrids, and lots of local names, so your best bet is to try it, and see what you think... good luck with that. Have some milk handy in case it's VERY hot.

Peppers In Oil

Preserving in oil is not recommended because of the danger of botulism. If you like the taste of peppers in oil, mix them just before eating. If you really want to try preserving in oil, please consult with your local extension office, through the department of Agriculture in your state. If you're not in the US, I'm not sure who to send you to, but please don't try it without consulting a food scientist or other expert.

Mammals in Your Garden

The best thing I can recommend is to buy one of our hottest sauces and mix it with a cheap oil, then spray it around your plants. Be careful that you don't spray the stuff in your eyes, or get it on your skin. Deer, rabbits, etc. don't like the heat, and will stay away - this advice from gardening experts. I have not tried it myself.

Our hot section is at  https://hotsaucecatalog.com/extreme-heat-10/

Reducing The Heat in Dishes

The only way to reduce heat after you've already added the peppers is to either add more of everything else, or to add a dairy product - if that makes sense in your recipe. Otherwise, freeze it, and have it on a different night when you invite tougher people to dinner.

When to Pick Peppers

Pepper Joe says: Most peppers eventually turn red when ripe so for fully mature ones wait till they are ripe. You can pick them in the earlier stage (green, purple or yellow) but they will not be as hot. Some peppers ripen a different color (such as the Golden Habanero) but they are the exception to the rule. No peppers are fully ripe when purple or green.

What Makes a Pepper Hot?

A chemical in peppers called capsaicin actually makes pepper hot. Its concentrated in the upper regions of the pepper (the stem side is UP), but the chemical is found throughout the pepper.