Our supply of ground chimayo chile (from a woman in Chimayo, NM) is
finally almost gone so this year instead of planting anaheims I set
plants started from twelve year old chimayo seeds. Thinking they might
not do too well because of their age I used almost my entire garden.
Wrong. Now I have seven and a half 4 foot ristras drying and I don't
know how to save them. Whole? Ground? Freezer or the basement? We've
always bought ground chile or, when using whole dried pods, we would
briefly sear the pods in a hot iron pan. Can't do that with seven
ristras worth. I need help.

thx,

sa

In article
,
semi-ambivalent wrote:

Our supply of ground chimayo chile (from a woman in Chimayo, NM) is
finally almost gone so this year instead of planting anaheims I set
plants started from twelve year old chimayo seeds. Thinking they might
not do too well because of their age I used almost my entire garden.
Wrong. Now I have seven and a half 4 foot ristras drying and I don't
know how to save them. Whole? Ground? Freezer or the basement? We've
always bought ground chile or, when using whole dried pods, we would
briefly sear the pods in a hot iron pan. Can't do that with seven
ristras worth. I need help.

thx,

sa

I'm not a chile growing guy but I have dried green peepers and froze
some too. The air drying was by dehydrator.

This site may be of interest.

http://www.chillies-down-under.com/p...-chillies.html

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0JfdP36kI
http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?lng=fr&acc=true

semi-ambivalent wrote:
Our supply of ground chimayo chile (from a woman in Chimayo, NM) is
finally almost gone so this year instead of planting anaheims I set
plants started from twelve year old chimayo seeds. Thinking they might
not do too well because of their age I used almost my entire garden.
Wrong. Now I have seven and a half 4 foot ristras drying and I don't
know how to save them. Whole? Ground? Freezer or the basement? We've
always bought ground chile or, when using whole dried pods, we would
briefly sear the pods in a hot iron pan. Can't do that with seven
ristras worth. I need help.

thx,

sa

Freezings works well so does pickling and making sambol. You already know
about drying.

David

ristras worth. I need help.

thx,

sa

such good luck for such a great pepper.

NM chile Institute is always a good place to start for Info.

http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/...nformation.php

I would get all the chilis you don't want to use for pickles and sambol and freeze them in a big bag or something... Freezing is an azazingly good way of preserving chilis. They'll last all the way through to next season and when you need to use some just chop them straight from frozen and throw them in your dish!

Mathink wrote:
Anyone else grown courgettes?

You see, I think I planted far too many this year. Seriously hundreds
of them grew, and when we went away for a week we came back to find
courgettes the width of watermelons and the about 2 feet long. We
opted not to eat these monster cougettes as they didn't taste as good
as the smaller ones...

Next year I think we'll stick to about 5 or so plants rather than
20...

Don't worry, most of us have done this when we started. If they are well
grown 2 or 3 plants will do the average family. You must be disciplined and
cut them daily, searching underneath so that none escape the knife. Aim to
get them by the time they are 12cm (5in) long. Also try recipes for the
baby fruit and flowers as you can afford to cut them at that stage. These
are considered a delicacy and are often sought after by cooks.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote:
Mathink wrote:
Anyone else grown courgettes?

You see, I think I planted far too many this year. Seriously hundreds
of them grew, and when we went away for a week we came back to find
courgettes the width of watermelons and the about 2 feet long. We
opted not to eat these monster cougettes as they didn't taste as good
as the smaller ones...

Next year I think we'll stick to about 5 or so plants rather than
20...

Don't worry, most of us have done this when we started. If they are
well grown 2 or 3 plants will do the average family. You must be
disciplined and cut them daily, searching underneath so that none
escape the knife. Aim to get them by the time they are 12cm (5in)
long. Also try recipes for the baby fruit and flowers as you can
afford to cut them at that stage. These are considered a delicacy and
are often sought after by cooks.

David
Yep, most of us. I am down to just one plant each year. First year I
planted ten.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
dude says...
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:
Mathink wrote:
Anyone else grown courgettes?

You see, I think I planted far too many this year. Seriously hundreds
of them grew, and when we went away for a week we came back to find
courgettes the width of watermelons and the about 2 feet long. We
opted not to eat these monster cougettes as they didn't taste as good
as the smaller ones...

Next year I think we'll stick to about 5 or so plants rather than
20...


Don't worry, most of us have done this when we started. If they are
well grown 2 or 3 plants will do the average family. You must be
disciplined and cut them daily, searching underneath so that none
escape the knife. Aim to get them by the time they are 12cm (5in)
long. Also try recipes for the baby fruit and flowers as you can
afford to cut them at that stage. These are considered a delicacy and
are often sought after by cooks.


Yep, most of us. I am down to just one plant each year. First year I
planted ten.


I've found that five plants is a good number for me (feeding just
one person.) It is partly a matter of having "critical mass" of
male and female flowers open at the same time.


--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum

"Mathink" wrote in message
...

Anyone else grown courgettes?

You see, I think I planted far too many this year. Seriously hundreds of
them grew, and when we went away for a week we came back to find
courgettes the width of watermelons and the about 2 feet long. We opted
not to eat these monster cougettes as they didn't taste as good as the
smaller ones...

Next year I think we'll stick to about 5 or so plants rather than 20...

LOL. 20 plants - that'd feed an institution. You must have a big family if
you intend to plant 5 zucchini/courgettes. We normally plant 2 and the
sodding things feed myself and husband and another family of 4 and I still
need to try to find unlocked cars when I go out so I can put the remainder
into.

Yeah, bit of a mistake planting 20... Ah well, at least now I know for next year!

Won't be eating courgettes for a while though... Had courgette everything... Courgettes and cheese pancakes, courgettes ricecakes, courgette and tomato sauce, courgette frittas, even courgettes in macaroni cheese... ridiculous trying 20 eat about 2000 courgettes...

I will get all the chili you do not want to use the pickles and sambol, freeze them in a large bag frozen, what is a good way to maintain amazingly pepper. Finally, they will be all the way through next season, when you need to seal some of them is directly from the freezer and throw them in your food.

That'd feed the body. You must have a big family, if You intend to plant 5 squash / zucchini. We usually plant 2 and sodding thing to feed themselves and their husband and another family of 4 and I still Need to try to find a locked car, when I went out, so I can rest Percent.