Try Turbo-1's Habanero Sauce - Hot Stuff!

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Turbo's habanero sauce is highly anticipated, with a simplified recipe that includes 12 chopped habaneros, garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, and molasses, boiled and processed in jars. The discussion highlights a recent canning session where various peppers and garlic were combined to create a flavorful pepper relish, described as a hot and tasty condiment rather than a traditional sauce. The participants shared their experiences with gardening, canning, and the challenges of sourcing ingredients, particularly during peak canning season. There is enthusiasm for experimenting with different recipes, including green tomato salsa, and a desire to increase production for personal use and potential sales. The conversation reflects a strong community spirit, with neighbors exchanging produce and supporting each other's gardening efforts. Overall, the thread emphasizes the joy of home canning, the importance of fresh ingredients, and the satisfaction of creating unique, spicy condiments.
  • #601
I have a problem with my peppers. Actually I have more the one problem, but there is one I want to ask about right now.

I have several varieties. Nothing very hot, when I bought seeds I was told they are rated as up to 30k Scoville. I don't need anything hotter, but to my surprise they are missing flavor. Just a few drops of tabasco add a very characteristic scent and taste to every dish, my peppers do add heat, but nothing more.

What varieties should I look for?
 
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  • #602
Borek said:
I have a problem with my peppers. Actually I have more the one problem, but there is one I want to ask about right now.

I have several varieties. Nothing very hot, when I bought seeds I was told they are rated as up to 30k Scoville. I don't need anything hotter, but to my surprise they are missing flavor. Just a few drops of tabasco add a very characteristic scent and taste to every dish, my peppers do add heat, but nothing more.

What varieties should I look for?
I like the flavor of Hungarian Wax chilies (paprika), jalapenos, and habaneros. Some peppers, including cayennes IMO, tend to add more heat than flavor. Rhody's ghosts have a nice sweet flavor along with the heat. The flesh is tasty. Most of the heat (just an opinion) appears to reside in the placentas and internal ribs. I'm saving Rhody's peppers for an opportunity to cook some hot stuff. Maybe I can whip another batch of spicy grilled jumbo shrimp this weekend...we'll see what chores the weather loads on me this weekend.
 
  • #603
turbo said:
We are forecast for a frost tonight, but since all my chilies are green (with the exception of some yellow Hungarians and a few orange habs), I'm going to risk it in hopes that I can get some more mature peppers. We're in for a bit of a warm-up starting tomorrow and well into the weekend, so I may be able nurse a few into maturity.
Hopefully if it's a light frost, they are low enough to the ground that warmth from the soil should save them.
 
  • #604
Evo said:
Hopefully if it's a light frost, they are low enough to the ground that warmth from the soil should save them.
I think so, plus my most treasured chilies (Habanero) are sheltered under layers and layers of leafy growth. It's a calculated risk.
 
  • #605
dlgoff said:
You are the Ghost Pepper Guru. I love your efforts and postings here.

I'm going to wait until February to start the seeds you sent me using your growing methods. And since I know Evo has a green thumb, I'll pay attention to her successes also. :wink:
No, Don, just a struggling amateur, like the guy who has an 8 foot monster ghost pepper bush, I would say he is the Ghost God we discussed in Ms Music's post awhile ago. Seriously, I would start them now, because with a decent heat mat and Evo's shaking method indoors they will keep blossoming and producing peppers. I will put a few in the mail to you so you don't have to wait that long. I will send green ones so they will have a three or four week shelf life. Hope Roger is doing well in the cool weather.

Rhody... :wink:
 
  • #606
We have a frost warning, but that's probably higher elevations - I hope. I harvested a few ripened peppers, but most are still green. My bigger habanero pepper plant has lots more flowers on it - stupid plant. We had rain yesterday, cool weather, overnight low in the 40s F. Tonight, the low is predicted to be about 39 F. We had a nice sunny day today - and partly cloudy.

I think I'll pot the bigger hab and bring it inside.


This I have to try! :approve:

Currying Danger: Restaurant's Spice Contest Puts Two In Hospital
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...staurantss-spice-contest-puts-two-in-hospital

I'm planning a trip to Edinburgh and Kismot!
 
  • #607
Astronuc said:
We have a frost warning, but that's probably higher elevations - I hope. I harvested a few ripened peppers, but most are still green. My bigger habanero pepper plant has lots more flowers on it - stupid plant. We had rain yesterday, cool weather, overnight low in the 40s F. Tonight, the low is predicted to be about 39 F. We had a nice sunny day today - and partly cloudy.

I think I'll pot the bigger hab and bring it inside.


This I have to try!
Generally, hard frosts in this area are confined to low-lying areas. Those of us on hills, (especially steep hills with escape-routes for cold air) can tweak an extra week or two of growth before killing frosts come. In Maine, successful early farms were almost always on south-facing slopes on steep hills.
 
  • #609
Astronuc said:
I think I'll pot the bigger hab and bring it inside.
This I have to try! :approve:
That's the spirit Astro, transplanting, a grow light, heat mat, and decent temps in the inside and lots of attention and you should be good to go, along with some carefully timed shaking, courtesy of Evo. My plants are under grow lights now indoors, still peppers ripening and more flower buds too.

Rhody... :approve:
 
  • #610
Evo said:
That's just crazy, one of these days someone is going to choke on the stuff and die.

Turbo, you should watch "heat seekers".

http://www.foodnetwork.com/heat-seekers/index.html
If the heat seekers don't have easily-found links, I'm not going to bother - sorry. Maybe I'm a fool, but but any series that has an axe to grind ought to be able to advertise themselves in a way that is accessible to consumers.
 
  • #611
turbo said:
If the heat seekers don't have easily-found links, I'm not going to bother - sorry. Maybe I'm a fool, but but any series that has an axe to grind ought to be able to advertise themselves in a way that is accessible to consumers.
What was difficult about the link? What axe to grind? They are sampling places that advertise having the hottest food.

And if you want more links

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=food+network+heat+seekers
 
  • #612
I found the guy who owns ghostpeppers.com, Paul a bit odd and eccentric, watch a few videos http://www.ghostpeppers.com/videos.php" , then decide for yourselves.

To make a long story short I bought his "Grow Guide" for ten bucks, and... well it really wasn't a guide at all.

He must have felt a bit guilty and agreed to answer some questions about growing via e-mails.

This is the result of one exchange:

Always use a fan on them indoors, must be for pollination and keeping aphids off (just a guess on my part).

Put Earth worms in every pot (I assume to keep soil loose, and even to eat aphids)

To get plants to reach and stretch, use a blue spectrum grow light 4 or 5 feet above the plants.

If you go to the video links and watch his hydro watering video you will see his largest Ghost bush as he waters his plants.

I like how he waters his stereo speakers too (00:45), yikes !

To keep aphids down, keep Venus fly traps below your larger plants, they eat aphids like crazy, and any other pests that happen by, now that was clever.

He also recommends lady bugs, but I don't want those flying around, so nix to that idea.

He has more to say about aphids here: Note, I have not corrected his spelling errors due to the image being graphic versus text.

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/9838/aphids.jpg

Can anyone think of other things I can ask, I know fertilizer is one thing, what to use, when to apply, can you think of anything else ? I wonder what he uses to keep his deck area warm in the winter for one thing.

Rhody... :confused:
 
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  • #613
A News Article: from http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-chili-20111013,0,7468866.story" :
Excepts:
A few days later at the Imphal airport, a few souvenir umorok are confiscated as a potential hijacking weapon. "No Manipur chile allowed," a policeman says gruffly.
They are referring to ghost peppers.
The plump red and green chiles with wrinkly skin, which have grown naturally in northeast India for hundreds of years, are believed to be the result of a relatively rare natural mutation that strengthened their bite.
and
In March, a new chile was rated by Guinness as the world's hottest, the Trinidad Scorpion "Butch T" out of Australia, at 1.4 million SHUs. That's about 40% hotter than ghost chiles. Though not yet produced commercially, it's already sparking trouble in chile-land, with suggestions of trickery and sleight of hand.

Selecting the hottest chiles on a plant, cross-breeding, or de-veining samples all can boost readings. Purists grumble about "Frankenstein" samples, and some chile lovers even envision the danger of a "chile nuclear arms race."

Great, one more thing to worry about, some idiot with ghost chile pepper on a plane and people trying to out do one another to gain market share and the profits that go with it.

Rhody... sigh...
 
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  • #614
Pepper wars! At some point, additional heat is unnecessary and may be counter-productive.

Once you get to the point at which people won't touch the food you've prepared, you have lost. I used the 3 ripest ghost chilies to make the marinade for grilled shrimp. My wife took a bite and commented on how hot the shrimp were, so I figured I'd be eating them alone. Then my father ate one and commented on the heat. Surprisingly, they both got acclimated to the heat, and we all ate shrimp until they were gone. That was a close one. I would hate to make everybody's favorite grilled seafood, only to make it too hot for comfort.
 
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  • #615
Glutton for punishment that I am, I spent over an hour today trying to find an on-line episode of heat-seekers. No dice. They have all kinds of full episodes for RR, Giada, Paula, Guy, etc, but none for the heat-seekers. Click on their episode list, and you get Rick-Rolled with Netflix pop-up ads. Ack!
 
  • #617
BTW, I'm making a tiny batch of habanero relish today. It won't be as good as I'm used to from past batches because the chilies are lacking in heat, but it's better than nothing. I put in plenty of German garlic, so even if it's not hot, it will be tasty.
 
  • #618
Thanks for the link to Heat Seekers, Evo. I would probably watch some episodes if the Food Network would only put them on-line, especially if the guys got accurate prep/cooking tips like on the Guy Fieri show. It was a little frustrating to get to that part in the kitchen only to find out that the cook doesn't disclose "secret ingredients". My habanero relish is almost 100% habanero chilies, and I use it quite liberally on cheeseburgers and hot dogs. No secrets there.

 
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  • #619
I made tartar sauce for tonight's crab cakes using about 1/3 of the new habanero relish to 2/3 Cain's mayonnaise. My wife liked the sauce so well, she used it to dip her roasted seasoned potatoes into. The hab relish is not as snarly as usual, but it has a nice flavor.
 
  • #620
A place where you can link up to Heat Seekers full episodes instead of You Tube highlights. Unfortunately, the site is in Europe, and I can't stream over this crappy DSL connection. The episodes are available from a few mirrors, so I'll have to check around to see if there are any that are faster than others, or set up some downloads to watch later.

http://www.vidics.eu/watch/53626/Heat-Seekers-2011.html
 
  • #621
Some of the mirrors on the source in the previous post will Rick-Roll you with pop-ups and/or require you to get plug-ins. None of the mirrors are fast enough to stream the shows, and I am loathe to set up unattended downloads from sites that I don't trust. Just a heads-up to the curious.
 
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  • #622
Okay turbo, rhody. If you all are still awake, you might want to watch this History Channels episode of "Hairy Bikers: On Fire" coming up next.

http://www.history.com/videos/hairy-bikers-on-fire#hairy-bikers-on-fire"

Edit: The boys have already tried the ghost peppers and think they are too hot.
 
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  • #623
dlgoff said:
Okay turbo, rhody. If you all are still awake, you might want to watch this History Channels episode of "Hairy Bikers: On Fire" coming up next.

http://www.history.com/videos/hairy-bikers-on-fire#hairy-bikers-on-fire"

Edit: The boys have already tried the ghost peppers and think they are too hot.
I just watched it, the Trinidad Scorpion at 1.4 million scoville, to make the sauce they used goggles, gloves and yes, respirators... watch around 15:00 and the burger contest, watch John... at the end. He has the look of a madman in his eyes until the Trinidad sauce bites back. Wow.

Rhody...
 
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  • #624
God forgive me, I just ordered some Trinidad Scorpion seeds. I think I need my head examined. They should be here in a few days. They weren't available last season because there wasn't any seed stock in the US. If I remember correctly these suckers originated from the UK. They have a different look to them. They look more like a cactus.

Sigh, looks like I will have to invest in a respirator too. I must be crazy. I thought about the skinny biker guy in the video last night. I would hate to be him while those things worked there way through his GI track and out to the world again, if you know what I mean. I hope he didn't end up in hospital because he ate a tremendous amount of the stuff.

Rhody... :devil: :redface: :bugeye:
 
  • #625
Trinidad Scorpions? Where will it end?
 
  • #626
turbo said:
Trinidad Scorpions? Where will it end?
With new pepper discoveries and tinkering with genetic mutations, survival of the fittest, it never ends, Turbo. If I can ever get comfort eating ghosts, there will be the Scorpion challenge to deal with. :-p

Rhody...
 
  • #627
rhody said:
God forgive me, I just ordered some Trinidad Scorpion seeds. I think I need my head examined. They should be here in a few days. They weren't available last season because there wasn't any seed stock in the US. If I remember correctly these suckers originated from the UK. They have a different look to them. They look more like a cactus.

Sigh, looks like I will have to invest in a respirator too. I must be crazy. I thought about the skinny biker guy in the video last night. I would hate to be him while those things worked there way through his GI track and out to the world again, if you know what I mean. I hope he didn't end up in hospital because he ate a tremendous amount of the stuff.

Rhody... :devil: :redface: :bugeye:

Nooooo! I'm starting to learn. RESPECT THE GHOST. I decided to cut up one in my tomato soup since the first one I eat raw was outstanding and the heat was okay. Now I'm dying on the fist bite of the soup. And I didn't wash my hands before having to go to the bathroom. :bugeye:

Help me rhody. :blushing:
 
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  • #628
dlgoff said:
Nooooo! I'm starting to learn. RESPECT THE GHOST. I decided to cut up one in my tomato soup since the first one I eat raw was outstanding and the heat was okay. Now I'm dying on the fist bite of the soup. And I didn't wash my hands before having to go to the bathroom. :bugeye:

Help me rhody. :blushing:
They demand respect, they don't ask for it. One more thing if you cut one open and there is an excess of oil, beware, low hanging fruit, heat stressed, extra hot for your pleasure or peril depending on your point of view. Get a box of 100 disposable gloves.

Rhody...
 
  • #629
I'm planning on mixing a TINY bit into some cream cheese (waiting to get some). I'm afraid, very afraid, but I have to do it.

These peppers are beautiful Rhody. I wonder how they would be dried and ground?
 
  • #630
Here is the chief propagator of the Trinidad Scorpion, http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/Trinidad-Scorpion-Butch-T-The-Worlds-Hottest-Chile-Pepper-Coverage" :
Most of you chile pepper fanatics know that the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T strain was ranked as the World's http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110412/od_yblog_upshot/new-chili-pepper-crowned-worlds-hottest" and are now the Capsaicin Kings topping out at an amazing 1,463,700 Scoville Units - although other Scorpion pods have clocked in at a few hundred thousand SHU less, which is still higher than the averages for the bhut jolokias or "ghost chiles".
This explains how these incredible seeds made there way here to the US. Here is an interesting http://thehotsauceaddiction.com/chillies/" giving background on four more hot ones. There is a new Sheriff in town, one who demands your utmost respect.

That thing looks evil. It reminds me of a blob of molten lava...

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6411/trinidadscorpion.jpg

Rhody... :rolleyes:
 
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  • #631
Evo said:
I'm planning on mixing a TINY bit into some cream cheese (waiting to get some). I'm afraid, very afraid, but I have to do it.

These peppers are beautiful Rhody. I wonder how they would be dried and ground?

Don't know Evo, I am guessing not as flavorful, the pepper has a cool sweet taste, and if I could find it, minus the capsaicin I would buy it over regular peppers you get at the market.

If you cut a teenie weenie bit of the bottom about the size of the end of a lead #2 pencil, it will give you an idea of the taste and heat without being overwhelming, unless of course you are one of those whose system can't take it. You know better than me, so plan accordingly, and if you cut them open, don't do what Don and Turbo (who doesn't mind the burn) did, get some synthetic gloves, they are cheap, and throw them out after each use.

I still have buds forming and two peppers growing now. I gave one to the guys nephew who bought my FJR today. I warned him, but you know how young people are. I will probably get a funny e-mail from the guy who bought the bike next week. I will miss my FJR, but it is time to move on. He got a good deal on it too, clocking more good karma for me in the future, I hope.

If you need a epi pen keep one handy and have someone with you for sure when you start experimenting. I don't want a guilty conscience as the one who did in Evo because her esophagus shut down in response to the heat.

Rhody...
 
  • #632
My collection of ghosts is dwindling. They are wonderful chilies, and have a nice sweet rich flavor. It would be wonderful to have harvested a crop of ripe Savinas (Caribbean Red habaneros) for side-by side comparisons. Unfortunately, the habaneros were party-poopers this year.

What do you think about the green habanero relish, rhody? I love that stuff on hot dogs and burgers, even when it is wimpy enough to require some extra relish to get the heat up to snuff.
 
  • #633
rhody said:
Here is the chief propagator of the Trinidad Scorpion, http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/Trinidad-Scorpion-Butch-T-The-Worlds-Hottest-Chile-Pepper-Coverage" :

This explains how these incredible seeds made there way here to the US. Here is an interesting http://thehotsauceaddiction.com/chillies/" giving background on four more hot ones. There is a new Sheriff in town, one who demands your utmost respect.

That thing looks evil. It reminds me of a blob of molten lava...

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6411/trinidadscorpion.jpg

Rhody... :rolleyes:
Doesn't that remind you of an atomic cloud?
 
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  • #634
Evo said:
Doesn't that remind you of an atomic cloud?
Yeah, very good Evo, it does...

WTF... I just checked online and my order of 10+ seeds shipped, 6.99 $ not bad, plus 4.05 $ shipping ! Are you kidding me, it costs .45 cents tops. Unless they are scamming me by sending them FedEx overnight. Let the buyer beware I guess. Grrrr...

Rhody...

P.S. I just sent the user some negative feedback, I ordered through Amazon, and if they are adding the overhead and I didn't read the terms clearly I am fine with it. If not, then the seller should be ashamed of themselves.

Here is the e-mail I sent to Amazon, I hope because PF is so highly ranked it gets picked and and spread to warn others as well:

I don't mind paying the 6.99 $ for the seeds, no problem, but 4.05 for shipping is outrageous. Unless they are being shipped FedEx overnight, (and buried in the fine print), it is robbery. An example of classic bait and switch. Please explain. I send ghost seeds to friends as a token of goodwill, it costs me 45 cents tops. If this is the hosting sites policies that offer them, no problem, if not you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Item Subtotal : $6.99
Shipping & Handling : $4.05
Total : $11.04
 
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  • #635
rhody said:
Yeah, very good Evo, it does...

WTF... I just checked online and my order of 10+ seeds shipped, 6.99 $ not bad, plus 4.05 $ shipping ! Are you kidding me, it costs .45 cents tops. Unless they are scamming me by sending them FedEx overnight. Let the buyer beware I guess. Grrrr...

Rhody...
Not good! I wish you good luck with those seeds, because at that price you don't want to lose them to aphids, fungus, etc.
 
  • #636
I finally got some decent habs. Nice and hot.

I'll look into those scorpions.
 
  • #637
Funny, after I wrote my comment to Amazon I got a call from the owner of the Pepper company, Jim Duffy, from San Diego. I found out he advertises from five sites, with Amazon being one of them. He said the charge 15% right off the top and then make you buy their packaging and labels. He said as a buying tip if you buy lots of small items the shipping is not so outrageous. We talked on the phone for over fifteen minutes. You can buy direct from his website http://www.superhotchiles.com/", and shipping is cheaper. He donates 30% of his profits for his charities based on his religious beliefs. Seemed like a pretty standup guy on the phone. I told him about the research paper Nagaland I posted about a few posts ago, and how I am going to try to get a ghost tree to grow indoors if possible. He has a wide variety of chilies and his photos are excellent. Turbo, I have never seen such a wide variety of habaneros, take a look. His prices are cheaper as well.

Rhody... o:)
 
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  • #638
That's a pretty impressive on-line catalog, rhody. I'd grow chilies for market if I had a large greenhouse, though I'd probably find it tough to actually find a market for most of his hotter varieties. I'm my own best customer for habaneros. Nobody else around here wants them.

One year, I had so many extra chilies that I invited a neighbor to take as many as she wanted. I didn't give away habaneros but she took lots of Hungarians, jalapenos and cayennes. Another neighbor hadn't approached me, but he had asked her if she had any chilies to spare, since her husband used to grow them, so she gave him a few pounds of my peppers. The next morning, he was at her door with the bag, giving them all back. They were all "too hot"! I didn't grow poblanos that summer, but that's probably about his speed. Mild, and large enough to stuff with rice, ground meat, etc.
 
  • #639
Here is Jim's impression of the Trinidad Scorpion, from a link from his website http://www.fiery-foods.com/pepper-profiles/153-chinense-species/2847-the-rare-trinidad-7-pot-superhot-chile?start=3" :
Trinidad Scorpion
Capsicum chinense species usually give me a little flavor and then build to a searing heat. Not the Scorpion. It does have a nutty flavor. I will re-enact my first taste of it: I took a small sliver and put it in my mouth. It hit me instantly with heat and my brain said SPIT IT OUT NOW! I put my head on the kitchen counter and continued to chew as I felt the heat build. It hurt me the most. Maybe it’s hotter that the Bhut, I don’t know. Only testing in the future will tell.

So now you chileheads know about the Trinidad 7 Pot or 7 Pod. Yes, there is life after Bhut Jolokia. But Bhut Jolokia is what brought attention to these other superhot chiles. So I thank you, Mr. Bosland! Growing the superhots is rewarding. There is less occurrence of flower drop in the 7 Pot, Naga Morich and Scorpion. So if you can grow Bhuts, you can grow these. Right now my rare Yellow 7 Pots are ripening and soon I will be germinating Chocolate 7 Pot and Yellow Scorpions. Wonder what they will feel and taste like? Stay tuned—I will be back to share that with all of you!
Seeing how the ghost peppers didn't bother you very much it will be interesting to see what you think of these things. I can't wait till next August/September to find out.

Evo,

Have you gingerly taste tested yours ?

Rhody...
 
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  • #640
rhody said:
Seeing how the ghost peppers didn't bother you very much it will be interesting to see what you think of these things. I can't wait till next August/September to find out.
I like the flavor and enjoy the build of the burn of the ghosts. Ghosts are sweet and rich, and the burn is not significantly stronger than ripe habaneros that I have grown. I can't wait to try other varieties, as people experiment with growing them.

This year's habs were quite disappointing, and I was eating them raw in the garden while harvesting them before a killing frost. I would not have been quite as cavalier during the years when my habs were doing really well, and had fully ripened. Some of those were pretty snarly.
 
  • #641
Here are a couple of pics of relatively normal pepper varieties and then the ghosts.

The top picture are normal brands, a hodgepodge of seeds I had left over.

Below that are the ghosts, seven in all, and behind them are those cotton ball like things. Two have sprouted, and I didn't realize this, but the roots appear to come out one side of the seed and the shoot the other. If they are upside down, they somehow find their way, down and up as needed. That is probably why some take longer to pop up, because you can pry open those white puffy containers you can seem them in action. All they need to sprout is water, heat and eventually light.
Pretty cool, huh. The greenhouse is 80 F with 80% humidity, and I spray them twice a day once in the morning, then again at night, it works out perfectly. If you let them go for a whole day, they may wilt, and if you do that too many times you may lose the seedling. The seller of those cotton ball like things said to plant the whole thing plant and all in dirt when they get large enough. I have both types, dirt and the white cotton like balls to test to see which grows better. Time will tell.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/6161/pepper1.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/963/pepper2.jpg

Rhody... :cool:
 
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  • #642
turbo said:
I like the flavor and enjoy the build of the burn of the ghosts. Ghosts are sweet and rich, and the burn is not significantly stronger than ripe habaneros that I have grown. I can't wait to try other varieties, as people experiment with growing them.

This year's habs were quite disappointing, and I was eating them raw in the garden while harvesting them before a killing frost. I would not have been quite as cavalier during the years when my habs were doing really well, and had fully ripened. Some of those were pretty snarly.

I may have hot dogs tomorrow on the grill and will use some of your hab relish. Let me get this straight then, the habs you grow are as hot as the ghosts ?! Really. What are those little devils rated at anyway ?

Rhody...
 
  • #643
turbo said:
I'd grow chilies for market if I had a large greenhouse, though I'd probably find it tough to actually find a market for most of his hotter varieties.

Turbo/Rhody Do you have any asian markets nearby? I was very surprised to see boxes of ghosts for sale at my local Asian store last weekend. $8.99 for a plastic box with approximately 7 - 10 peppers inside. I was almost tempted to go back down and buy some just to smell them. If they aren't "perfumey" to me like the grocery store habs are, I might be able to use them, but habaneros are scary enough for me. (I aspirated some hab aerosols... now ghosts really scare me...:eek:)
 
  • #644
Rhody, the habs that I had in my best years were as hot (or even hotter) than the ghosts that you sent me, IMO. I love the sweet, rich taste of the ghosts, and may try growing some (getting the greenhouse guys to start them for me in return for some of the seeds that I saved). Years back, they started Red Savinas, but have switched to Carribean Reds, I believe, due to the cost and availability of seeds. I'll have to talk to them, if I can stand upwind. Those boys are quite fragrant!

Anyway, if I can compare raw to raw, the habaneros are lighter in flavor, and the ghosts are richer and sweeter and not all that different in heat, though the ghosts seemed to have a delayed burn. This is all pretty subjective, so take it with a grain of salt and a shot of Patron Silver. :devil:
 
  • #645
Ms Music said:
Turbo/Rhody Do you have any asian markets nearby? I was very surprised to see boxes of ghosts for sale at my local Asian store last weekend. $8.99 for a plastic box with approximately 7 - 10 peppers inside. I was almost tempted to go back down and buy some just to smell them. If they aren't "perfumey" to me like the grocery store habs are, I might be able to use them, but habaneros are scary enough for me. (I aspirated some hab aerosols... now ghosts really scare me...:eek:)
Ms Music,

The next time you are in the Asian market, ask the owner where the peppers came from, the US or from South America or India, or other country. Right now is the prime season for them so you will see fresh ones for a little bit longer. Jim Duffy has quite a nice business for himself, perfect growing climate and he uses high school labor at 2$ per hour more than what they earn at McDonald's to plant, harvest, package, ship and do the books for him. The amount of gross sales he did last year would ASTOUND you. He puts 30% of that back into his youth charities where he gets a group of kids who want to learn about business, and how to deal with people. A win, win situation if you ask me. Very pleasant and accommodating on the phone too. I just want a 9 foot monster pepper tree that will be a conversation piece and produces a ton of peppers.

Rhody...
 
  • #646
Ms Music said:
Turbo/Rhody Do you have any asian markets nearby? I was very surprised to see boxes of ghosts for sale at my local Asian store last weekend. $8.99 for a plastic box with approximately 7 - 10 peppers inside. I was almost tempted to go back down and buy some just to smell them. If they aren't "perfumey" to me like the grocery store habs are, I might be able to use them, but habaneros are scary enough for me. (I aspirated some hab aerosols... now ghosts really scare me...:eek:)
I don't know why habanero peppers are perfumey. Mine have been fairly neutral in scent until you chop them - then they get snarly. It was a treat to use rhody's ghosts - sweet and rich. Again, even in a zip-lock bag, they weren't too fragrant until they are cut open. Then their scent blooms.

You should give the ghosts a shot. If you are concerned about the heat, drop a chili in a food processor with other ingredients and blend the heck out of them and make a batch of chili sauce or spaghetti sauce, then adjust the amount of ghosts that you use to match your tastes. It can be tricky to estimate, because chili peppers aren't "calibrated". One can be pretty mild and the next can have snarly heat.

I used one ghost to make a marinade for grilled shrimp, and my wife said that the shrimp wasn't hot enough. I used 3 ghosts for the next batch and she said that the shrimp was too hot, then proceeded to eat probably more of the grilled shrimp than my father and I got. Ghosts have a sneaky heat, and the flavor is exceptional.
 
  • #647
Wow, since yesterday, my seedlings are getting taller and they now have 4 and 6 leaves instead of two, and my three mature plants upstairs have starting showing flowers.

I will put the fan on them low speed to make sure they self pollinate. Looks like more peppers are on the way folks.

Evo,

Any small peppers forming yet ?

Turbo,

As a taste comparison, I will take a pepper from my plant and do a heat test against your habanero relish to see if the heat is what you claim. I will report back after dinner when I grill the hot dogs.

Rhody...
 
  • #648
rhody said:
Turbo,

As a taste comparison, I will take a pepper from my plant and do a heat test against your habanero relish to see if the heat is what you claim. I will report back after dinner when I grill the hot dogs.

Rhody...
I fear you will be disappointed by the relish, rhody. The habaneros were quite wimpy this year. If I get a decent-quality crop next year, expect to see some ripe ones in the mail for a side-by-side. And probably some more relish if I can get a fair-sized batch canned. I canned these out of desparation - frost coming and no ripe chilies.
 
  • #649
I talked to a co-worker who has a friend in Trinidad, and he brought him some Trinidad Scorpion peppers. He says mine won't be as hot. I told him about heat stressing the plants and low hanging fruit being hotter. We have a lunch bet his native Trinidad peppers will be hotter than the ones I grow. We will have to wait and see, now won't we ? :eek: :devil: :biggrin:

Rhody...
 
  • #650
rhody said:
Evo,

Any small peppers forming yet ?
Still waiting to bloom. A squirrel attack a few days ago knocked my two bottom buds off that were ready to bloom. Luckily, they were the only casualties.
 

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