Re: [CH] Heatless Habaneros
John Caldwell (jcald@3wheel.net)
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 10:39:52 -0800
It's not just your imagination! I've found that it is completely hit or
miss around here. I had completely written off the habs at any grocery
store in the area here (huntington beach, ca) until I found one store that
had some with some kick. I popped a piece the size of a dime in my mouth
while cooking a while back, and yowee! It actually had some kick to it.
Prior to this, all the ones I had were almost edible whole.
Anybody out there near the coast, either east or west? I'm planning on
starting a small pepper garden this spring, and I was wondering if anybody
had some tips. Namely- I have read that some of the hotter peppers need
fairly high temperatures (85 F. or above) to really thrive. We only get a
few of those days here a year, how will that affect the yield or the peppers
themselves? Should I even try growing something like a red savina?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Solarion" <solarion@1starnet.com>
To: <chile-heads@globalgarden.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 9:49 AM
Subject: [CH] Heatless Habaneros
> Seasons Greetings To All The ChileHeads! Here is an article from the
> Dallas Morning News, published back on October 13. This is interesting in
> that I personally have noticed that local grocery-store habaneros don't
> seem to have nearly so much heat as a couple of years ago. Maybe it is
> just my "imagination". Best Wishes For 2003! Roberto
>
> *
>
> LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (Associated Press) -- New Mexico State University
> scientists say they've taken the heat out of habaneros with a new pepper
> born to be mild.
>
> The NuMex Sauve Red and the NuMex Suave Orange habaneros are ready to be
> released to the chile-loving public. Seed is available from NMSU's Chile
> Pepper Institute.
>
> The researchers received the seeds from Houston chile aficionado Bill
> Adams, who liked their mild flavor and sent them to the Chile Pepper
> Institute. NMSU researchers conducted seeding trials last year.
>
> As a special promotion for the new chile varieties, institute director
Paul
> Bosland and colleagues at NMSU's Agricultural Experiment Station passed
out
> samples of the Suave varieties to university administrators and students
> around campus.
>
> "They trust us," Mr. Bosland said with a grin.
>
> The hottest variety of habaneros -- Red Savina -- is about 23 times hotter
> than the normal tongue-burning jalapeņo.
>
> "Habaneros have unique flavors as chile peppers, but most people just
> couldn't taste them because they're so hot," Mr. Bosland said.
>
> Eric Votava, a senior research specialist and chile breeder at NMSU who
did
> much of the field work for the mild habaneros, said the new varieties have
> a citrusy flavor with an orange-lemony overtone.
>
> "You'll feel a sensation of heat more in the back of your mouth and
throat,
> as opposed to a jalapeņo, where you'll feel the heat on the tip of your
> tongue and lips," he said. "People can now taste these exotic flavors
> without being afraid of setting their mouth on fire."
>
> In the short term, the largest market for the pepper will be home
> gardeners, Mr. Bosland said. Bigger markets will come later.
>
> "For 400 years we had green chile, and it's only been in the last 20 years
> that the mainstream commercial companies have looked to be part of that,"
> he said.
>
> The new habaneros look like a cross between traditional compact habaneros
> and a Scotch bonnet, another of the world's hottest chiles, which often is
> used in jerk sauces and Caribbean salsas.
>
> In the field, the plants are taller than their hotter cousins and yield
> about the same number of peppers, NMSU said.
>
> The name "suave" is Spanish for mellow or smooth.
>
> "We wanted to emphasize the nature of these chile peppers," Mr. Bosland
said.
>
> DEGREES OF HEAT
>
> Chile peppers are rated in Scoville heat units:
>
> 577,000 Rating of the habanero Red Savina
>
> 25,000 Rating of a normal jalapeņo
>
> 835 Suave Orange
>
> 580 Suave Red
>
> [COMMENT: 580? That probably isn't much "hotter" than a bell pepper!
RS]
> .
>
>
>