SCOVILLE RATES: (S)

The higher the number = the hotter the taste. Usually indicated in (1000) thousands.

When I was market gardening, I grew two different hot peppers. These were the traditional ‘Jalapeno’ and another large banana type hot pepper called ‘Diablo Grande’. Various Jalapeno varieties can have Scoville rating of 4000-6000 (S), while Diablo Grande is 6000-8000 (S). The Hungarian hot Wax pepper or traditional hot banana is 4000 (S).

I grew Jalapeno to go along with the ‘Toma Verde’ or Tomatillo that I was the only person at market with. This is a husk covered tomato like fruit that is used extensively in Mexico to make Salsa Verde. Salsa Verde is basically Tomatillo and Jalapeno pepper gound up and used as a green sause. If her man liked it hot, she used more Jalapenos. If he likes not so hot, she used more Toma Verde which is sweet and lessened the heat in the salsa verde sauce with each one added. Both of these start out green and usually used green, so the sause was green, hence salsa (sauce) verde (green), or green sauce. If you make this, you now have the sauce of old Mexico (Me-hee-co in Spanish) called 'Salsa Verde'.

I grew Diablo Grande for those who wanted a hotter than hot pepper. The Diablo Grande grows to eight inch lengths while hot banana only grows four to six inches.

These two peppers are not the only hot ones and not even close to the very hottest of all, 'the Habanero Types'. Habaneros of various varieties can be rated 250,000 up to 400,000 (S).

Please note that this is 60 to 100 times hotter than a Hungarian Hot Wax Banana pepper.

THE HOT TRUE STORY - One day at market I had a half bushel of Diablo Grande with me and packed them into quart berry boxes, all I could get in and sold for $3.00 Qt. A young man came along and says “Them Hot or Sweet?”. I say “hot”. He says “Banana Peppers are not hot enough for me”.

I say “They are “Diablo Grande” and are twice as hot as Hot Banana”. He wouldn’t believe me and wanted to try one to eat raw. I warned him that they were too hot for that, but gave him one. He bit the end off of it and went off down the market. About ten minutes went by and back he comes inquiring how many I had and how much money. I had three quarts displayed and so I measured out two more and there was still enough to make another quart. I made a deal with him for all the peppers for $15.00.

“Hottest Damn Peppers, I ever ate” says my happy customer.

He had just consumed a whole Diablo Grande which would be equal to eating three whole Hungarian Hot Wax peppers. Don't know how he could do it. His belly must have been on fire.

Beside me at market was a lady who made Chilli Hot Sauces. She had three choices for her customers in pint jars.

(1) Hot Sauce (regular) 1/4 tsp

(2) Try Me if you Dare, Hot Sauce 1/2 tsp

(3) Suicide Hot Sauce one (1) tsp.

She accomplished thesethree sauces by making a basic Chilli Sauce with ¼ tsp. of dry grind Habanero, ½ tsp, or 1 whole tsp added to the chili sauses.. She had the regular hot one for people to sample and being next to her, I got to try several chips with hot sauce on them. When sweat breaks out on the top of your head, you know the stuff is hot.

This lady grew a 350,000 (S) pepper, dried it and then ground it into powder to be used in cooking to add heat. She experimented to find out what would be edible, and what not. By the way if you try this you must wear heavy grade rubber chemical gloves to protect your fingers. Never rub your face or eyes when handling hot peppers.

1/4, 1/2, or 1 tsp of the ground habanero pepper powder added to the batch of chilli sauce , became each of the various three sauces that she made. Her husband liked the 'suicide hot sauce' best. He must have been one 'hot guy'.

If you do happen to get hot pepper on hands or face or rub an eye, mom's remedy was a wet tea bag on your eye or hands. I have gotten my hands all hot from doing what I tell you not to with 8000 (S) peppers and used a heaping teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda put in palm of one hand, wet slightly to a paste consistency and rub all over tips of fingers. Let soda stand on fingers for two or three minutes and then wash off and with soap and water. This works somewhat well

The heat from Habanero goes right through the rubber eventually and you have to ditch the gloves for a new pair. She had made about 30 cases of (12) and had used up four pairs of rubber gloves in the making.

So, I caution you that the heat in Habanero Peppers is not to be taken for granted. They are dangerously hot and must be handled carefully, gloves on, and used sparingly.

This year I grew one only Jalapeno Pepper pictured here right and above. they are also in the jars of Hot Jalapeno Peppers Pickled in the picture with three pint jars. The few sweet chocolate peppers at top in the right jar will take on some of the hot in time.

I will take out a couple peppers from a jar, hold the pepper with fork and slice it thinly on an angle to be used to top off a sandwich with a bit of zing and heat. Makes delightful flavour in a sandwich too if not too many used.

If you wish to grow peppers, start them early indoors or greenhouse and set out the tenth of June when soil warms up. Earlier plantings can be made if growing plastic is laid down and holes cut to plant the peppers. This keeps the daytime heat in and warms the soil enough to keep the pepper growing. When you use plastic you must fertilize before laying down the plastic.

Hope I have added a bit of Hot, Hotter and Very Hot into your life from the writing of this hub.

You will find Harold in his daylily, vegetable, intense gardening garden near any day from May to September. If you live close or visit, I would be happy to greet you.