Jalapeno

So things are heating up a little.  Next up is another contender from Mexico in the form of the Jalapeno Chilli Pepper.  With a heat rating of around 6000 on the Scoville scale the Jalapeno finds itself 4th on our scale of heat. Given that’s it’s twice as hot as previous chilli – The Bulgarian Carrot – you will likely sweat a little when you try this.  Otherwise known as Armadillo Eggs the heat of these will vary from mild to hot depending on how ripe they are. Usually the riper they are the hotter they become. Did you know that Jalapeno juice is used as a remedy for allergies ? So if you have an allergy perhaps this is the cure.

The Jalapeno had the best germination rate of all the chilli seeds we planted. A good cropper – we’ll be growing this again for sure.

First of all let’s get the pronunciation right. The ‘J’ is actually pronounced as a ‘h’ as in ‘halapeno. In Mexico Jalapenos are often smoked which gives them a distinctive flavour and these are commonly known as ‘chipotle’.

One of the most popular ways to preserve Jalapenos is to pickle them in vinegar. Best enjoyed with nachos and cheese. Yum !

Jalapeno’s are quick to grow which is perhaps one of the reasons for their popularity, they take around 70 days to reach harvest from seed.