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| This one is ready to eat. |
Some like it hot… I am one of those who like a little heat in their food. However, I do not like to be in pain- you can have too much of a good thing. I do love Tabasco peppers in vinegar to sprinkle on my greens or my peas and I wanted to make my own when I figured out how easy it is to preserve peppers and herbs in vinegars.
I had read an article about fish peppers, a pepper native to the Caribbean and common in fish dishes of that area. A gentleman up North had been growing them with seed that came from his grandfather. The peppers are pretty and can come multicolored. So, when placing my seed order this year I decided to give these a try. I am so glad I did! They germinated easily and grew great. Because I don’t eat a lot of hot peppers and only one of my kids likes spicy food, I planted only four plants in my garden. Four was plenty, these plants really produce!
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| A Fish Pepper plant loaded up with peppers. |
Each pepper is only about 2 inches long, not very big. However, they pack a lot into that little package. These peppers are hot, but with a deep warmth and sweetness. Even my kids who don’t like things too hot have commented that this was a different kind of heat and they liked it. It took only two peppers with seeds removed to warm up a pound of pinto beans cooked in the crock-pot. I am hooked on these little beauties.
I have decided to use these in vinegar in place of the Tabasco peppers and see how it goes. I find it hard to believe that this wouldn’t taste good considering how great a flavor these peppers posses.
To save the seeds, wait to pick until they turn red and shrivel up just a bit. Then you can split them open and save the seeds. Allow the seeds to dry completely- I usually put them in a small bowl on the window sill. Then store them in a cool dry place until ready to plant next spring. Being an Heirloom variety, you can save these seeds and get the same wonderful peppers next summer.
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| Like most peppers, as it matures it will turn red and orange. |
I ordered my seeds from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. This link will take you to the page with information about the Fish Pepper: http://www.southernexposure.com/fish-pepper-hot-05-g-p-922.html
Try some in your garden next year, you will be glad you did!
Holly K. Ross 