Chilli Plant Update - 15th April 2023

The chilli plants were all given new shoes on the 10th April because their toes were starting to hurt. Both Capsicum eximium varieties were sown in March and are therefore much smaller than the rest, but even they were given new pots. I was able to re-pot them without disturbing their roots. On the same day I also decided to get rid of both superhot varieties (Moruga Scorpion and 7-Pot Jonah) because I still have some Moruga Scorpion chillies in the freezer from 2021 and I still have most of the Dorset Naga chillies in the freezer from last year. I guess it just goes to show how often I cook with superhot chillies.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 10th April 2023

As I've mentioned on this website in the past, although I do sometimes grow superhot chillies, they're not my favourite chillies or my go-to chillies of choice for day-to-day cooking. I'm not bothered whether I have them or not, but when I do have them I either use them in my hot sauce recipe or in my chicken phall curry recipe, but they're not an essential ingredient in either. My chicken phall curry recipe works just as well when made with Habaneros and Scotch Bonnets, except you may need to add a few more of them because they're not as hot. In the 15 years that I've been growing chilli plants I've always preferred the heat and flavour profiles of Habaneros and Scotch Bonnets to those of superhot varieties. The hottest varieties I'm growing this year are Fatalii, Chocolate Habanero, Caribbean Red Habanero and Orange Habanero, all four of which are hot enough for my liking.

Chilli Plants in Their New Pots - 10th April 2023

Aji Largo - 10th April 2023

I'm happy to report that the chilli plant tribe is coming along nicely, and as of writing this post the sun is out and the temperature in the porch is 77F. In about four or five weeks most of the tribe members should be ready for their final pots.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 13th April 2023

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 13th April 2023

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 13th April 2023

Here are some photos that were taken on the 13th April showing some of the individual varieties that have been mentioned on this website in the past, plus one group shot showing all of the newcomers to this year's tribe.

Aji Largo - 13th April 2023

Aji Mochero - 13th April 2023

Cumari Pollux - 13th April 2023

Fatalii - 13th April 2023

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 13th April 2023

Jalapeño M - 14th April 2023

Malawi Bird's Eye - 13th April 2023

Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet - 13th April 2023

Peruvian White Habanero - 13th April 2023

Ring of Fire - 13th April 2023

San Isidro Rocoto - 13th April 2023

Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero - 13th April 2023

New Chilli Varieties - 13th April 2023

Whilst taking photos of the plants on Thursday afternoon I spotted something from the corner of my eye which at first glance I thought was compost, but it later turned out to be a horrific murder scene of the cannibalistic kind. The little one was murdered in broad daylight!

Spider Cannibalism - 13th April 2023

If you read my previous post you'll know that I'm growing an unknown seedling that I found in the compost bucket on the 21st February. I labelled it as 'the mystery' because I'm not sure what variety it is. I thought at first that it might be a Sukanya Rocoto, but now I think it is an Aji Largo. Not only does it more closely resemble Aji Largo than any other variety I'm growing, but at this stage of growth every year my Aji Largo plants always develop some oedema on their leaves, and the mystery variety also has some oedema on one of its leaves. If it turns out to be an Aji Largo, which I suspect it will, then that means I'll have three Aji Largo plants on the go this year.

The Mystery - 13th April 2023

I made two batches of hot sauce recently. On Thursday evening I made a batch using Orange Habaneros, and yesterday evening I made a batch using Chocolate Habaneros. When you're fortunate enough to blend large batches of chillies you really get to appreciate the unique aroma that each variety has. The Orange Habanero and the Chocolate Habanero are both very delicious chillies, but the Chocolate Habanero really does have a distinct smoky aroma, which was very noticeable yesterday evening when blending the sauce. This next photo shows the blended hot sauce just prior to being bottled. It looks like it has a rusty orange colour because the flash fired on the camera, but its true colour is a gorgeous shade of brown, as can be seen in the front bottles in the second photo.

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 14th April 2023

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 14th April 2023

Now that the chilli plants have been re-potted into their second pots I can start a feeding regime. Hopefully, by this time next month the sun will be cracking the flagstones and the chilli plants will be like triffids crying out for new shoes. All hail the Chilli Gods. 😁