CHOOSING

CHOOSING VARIETIES

Whilst there are many other wonderful websites that can provide a comprehensive guide to the many chilli varieties available, just a few are listed here from personal experience. These are personal comments that may not entirely agree with those of other commercial websites that are really trying to sell their products.
I have listed some interesting website URLs elsewhere. (please see "USEFUL SITES")

VARIETY	HEAT RATING	COMMENTS
Orange Habanero		The first sensation is a sweet, peppery taste then the heat kicks in with savage force. Use sparingly unless you have masochistic tendencies!
Carribean Red		As above. Bright red, maybe hotter. It's too difficult to tell as tasting hurts.
Tepin		Petite pois sized fruit with little flavour. Thin skinned and little flesh. Bite sensation is a mouth full of seeds and then the heat attack. Lengthy growing time on tall plants
Pequin		Beautiful fruit, like candle flames pointing upwards. Very juicy and sweet but very hot. Fall off the stalks easily and can spill juice onto hands when harvesting. Beware!
Scotch Bonnet		Another pointing upward variety, hot, not particularly sweet, but pretty.
Nu-Mex Big Jim		Approx 5 inches(13cm) long, thick juicy flesh with just a tingle of heat. These are fabulous for salads, or to use as sweet peppers with a bit of life. Excellent in omelettes.
Rocotto		Fascinating. Large spreading plant with purple flowers. Produces few fruit but these are "plummy" in size and shape. Quite hot and peppery, a bit sweet and strange black, nutty seeds.
Serrano		Beautiful, almost plastic looking fruit, prolific and early. Hot and firm to the bite.
Peter		As above but very wrinkly fruit and low growing.
Thai Hot		Masses of 1 inch(3cm) fruit on low growing bush. Hot burning sensation to the bite. Excellent for drying and for use as a condiment.
Hot Banana		Pretty shade of green. Tastes fresh and peppery followed by a waft of heat that doesn't linger for too long. Very early. Photo taken on 27th June, 2002
Thai Hot Dragon		Fiery little things with thin flesh and a slight flavour. Suitable for drying and use as a condiment. Photo taken on 23rd August
Poinsettia		Clusters of upward pointing fruit on a 3ft (1m) plant.
Aji Brown		Like the Nu-Mex Big Jim but bigger, approx 9in (23cm) long.
Bishop's Crown (or Friar's Hat)		Strange shape, like a bishop's hat, and a heavy fruit borne on long branches.