Tag: chilli

Spice up your Garden and grow Chillies

If you’re a keen gardener & enjoy growing your own vegetables, then why not spice up your garden with some of the hottest chillies around? Chillies come in all shapes & sizes & can add a fiery kick to your cooking. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned gardener, our list of favourite chillies to grow is sure to inspire & excite you. From mild to scorching hot, there’s a chilli for everyone to grow.

Jalapeno: A popular chilli amongst gardeners, they are perfect for making homemade salsa or stuffing with cream cheese. These chillis are relatively easy to grow & prefer a warm climate. Keep in mind that Jalapenos can take up to 80 days to mature, so plant them in early spring for a late summer harvest.

Habanero: Known for their intense heat, Habaneros are not for the faint of heart. These chillies require plenty of heat & sunlight to grow & can take up to 100 days to mature. Use gloves when handling these chillies & add them to your favourite hot sauce or Mexican dishes for an extra kick.

Poblano: With a mild to medium heat, Poblanos are perfect for stuffing or roasting. These chillies can be harvested in just 60 days & prefer a slightly cooler climate. They’re great for making chilli rellenos, as well as adding to stews & soups.

Anaheim: Similar to Poblanos, Anaheim chillies have a mild to medium heat & can be used in a variety of dishes such as stir fry, stews, & salads. These chillies prefer a warm climate & can be harvested in just 60-75 days.

Ghost Pepper: Also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Peppers are one of the hottest chillies in the world. These chillies require plenty of sunlight & heat to grow & can take up to 150 days to mature. Use caution when handling & use these chillies sparingly in your cooking.

Thai: Known for their fiery heat, Thai chillies are perfect for adding to stir fry, curries & soups. These chillies prefer a humid, warm climate & can be harvested in just 50-60 days.

Cayenne: Cayenne chillies are great for making hot sauce, as well as adding to soups, stews & marinades. These chillies prefer a warm climate & can be harvested in just 70-80 days.

Serrano: Similar to Jalapenos, Serrano chillies have a medium heat & are perfect for making salsa & guacamole. These chillies prefer a warm climate & can be harvested in just 70-80 days.

Fresno: With a similar heat to Jalapenos, Fresno chillies are great for making hot sauce, pickling & adding to salads. These chillies prefer a warm climate & can be harvested in just 75-85 days.

Scotch Bonnet: Similar in heat to Habaneros, Scotch Bonnet chillies are great for making Caribbean-style dishes such as jerk chicken. These chillies prefer a warm, humid climate & can take up to 120 days to mature.

Whether you’re a fan of mild or scorching hot chillies, growing your own is a great way to add some spice & flavour to your cooking. Just remember to handle these hot little peppers with care & enjoy the fruits of your labour!

Discovering the Scoville Scale

As a gardener, you must have heard of the Scoville Scale. It’s the universal standard used to measure the heat of peppers, but it’s become much more than that for gardeners. The Scoville Scale is a must-know for people who want to grow, harvest, or taste peppers. It’s a tool that allows you to identify the heat levels of different types of peppers and determine what works best for you. In this blog post, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about the Scoville Scale and how you can use it to your advantage.

Understanding the Scoville Scale

The Scoville Scale is a measurement of the heat in peppers. The scale was developed by an American pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville in 1912. The heat of a pepper is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The higher the SHU value, the hotter the pepper. The most common peppers used to measure heat levels include jalapenos, habaneros, and ghost peppers. The scale ranges from 0 SHU for sweet bell peppers to 2.2 million SHU for the Carolina Reaper, the hottest pepper in the world.

Image Credit: Carolina Reaper Seeds

Determining the Heat Level of Peppers

The heat level of peppers is determined by the amount of capsaicin, the compound responsible for causing the “burning” sensation. Capsaicin is found in the placenta, the white membrane that surrounds the seeds. Generally, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. However, heat levels can also vary within the same type of pepper based on growing conditions, climate, and the plant’s genetics.

Choosing the Right Pepper for Your Recipe

Now that you understand the basics of the Scoville Scale, you can use it to your advantage. Knowing the heat level of different types of peppers can help you select the right pepper for your recipe. For example, if you’re making a mild salsa, you can use sweet peppers, which have a SHU value of 0. However, if you want some heat, you can use jalapenos, which have a SHU value of 2,500 to 8,000. If you’re looking for something hotter, you can try using habaneros, which have a SHU value of 100,000 to 350,000. However, be careful not to overdo it as these peppers can be extremely hot.

Growing Peppers Based on Heat Level

If you’re planning to grow peppers in your garden, you can also use the Scoville Scale to your advantage. You can choose to grow sweet peppers, which are mild, or you can grow hot peppers, which are spicy. When growing peppers, be sure to select the right variety based on the heat level you’re looking for. You can also use the Scoville Scale to monitor the growth of your peppers. Generally, hotter peppers take longer to mature, so you can use the SHU value as an indicator of when your peppers are ready to be harvested.

The Scoville Scale is an essential tool for anyone interested in growing or cooking with peppers. It allows you to determine the heat level of different types of peppers and use them to your advantage. Whether you’re making salsa, growing peppers in your garden, or trying different types of peppers, understanding the Scoville Scale will ensure that you have the right pepper for your needs. So, go ahead and add some spice to your life with the Scoville Scale!