I don't get Carmen - Page 2

Mojave · July 30, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabelle

Cook the peppers in minimal liquid until soft. Chop in a food processor, then run through a food mill with medium to large blade attached. You end up with pureed peppers sans the seeds and skins. Freeze the puree in ice cube trays, then store in the freezer. Pop a few cubes in soups, stews or gravies. You can also marinate meats in it. Food mills run approx. $30.

Now that's a great idea!

peebee · July 31, 2013

That is a good idea--if I had a large amount. I'm only growing 3 plants in pots and while they are good producers I'm not exactly overwhelmed by the qty. They wouldn't justify the cost of a food mill. There has to be a better way to eat these, for all the hype. Maybe they are not growing thicker walls for me, in my area, and that's the problem.
I'll stick with my nu-mex types as they work for me. Except they are not sweet. Oh well.

bower · July 31, 2013

Peebee, I find that the thinner walled sweet peppers like Jimmy Nardello are at their best when cut into strips and gently fried in olive oil. This softens the skin and also makes them sweeter.

COMPOSTER · August 2, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deborah

That dinner looks delicious !

I second that! I'm going to try something similar with Carmen (2 plants growing) and see if I can add something constructive to this thread.

Cole_Robbie · August 3, 2013

I think the ones I ate tonight were Double Delight from Gurney's. I do have some Carmen, too. I drip some olive oil on them, salt, and toast in a toaster oven for about ten minutes.

My peppers are usually not that great, but my mom's garden, which is 1/2 mile away, always has bigger peppers with thicker walls. She uses a lot of horse manure, and the peppers especially seem to thrive on it. I can get a decent tomato plant by just fertilizing the hole I plant in, but that doesn't seem to work with peppers.

nolabelle · August 3, 2013

I wonder if roasting to remove the skins, then frying would give you what you're looking for in taste and texture with the Carmen peppers.

I tried that with cayennes, but the quantity was too overwhelming to remove the skins by hand.

ChristinaJo · August 5, 2013

I am growing Carmen as well. I wasn't too impressed. I think I'm ready for just open pollinated types, so when I find a Keeper,it's just that. I can keep it!

peebee · August 6, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabelle

I wonder if roasting to remove the skins, then frying would give you what you're looking for in taste and texture with the Carmen peppers.

I tried that with cayennes, but the quantity was too overwhelming to remove the skins by hand.

If I roasted the skins of these Carmens, there would be nothing under the blackened skins--they are THAT thin-skinned. Do you all see where I'm at? Skin so thin that blackening them would be akin to burning them to nothing.
Tried the "gentle frying"--still got nothing but shiny tough puny skin. There's no meat on my Carmen. Weird!

newatthiskat · August 6, 2013

All three plants are giving the same thin walled thick skinned pepper? Key is maybe the potting soil is not optimal for this particular plant? more nutrients or more water or less water. Could be you just do not grow a plant again that does not work for you. Cool thing is you have tried a new variety and can say well in to the next one.

nolabelle · August 6, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

If I roasted the skins of these Carmens, there would be nothing under the blackened skins--they are THAT thin-skinned. Do you all see where I'm at? Skin so thin that blackening them would be akin to burning them to nothing.
Tried the "gentle frying"--still got nothing but shiny tough puny skin. There's no meat on my Carmen. Weird!

I gotcha, peebee. Hopefully you can find one that you like. Good growing!

halleone · August 6, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kath

I don't cook peppers, so for me, Carmen was great because it was early, had a clean, sweet taste and produced reliably and abundantly. Since I found Slonovo Uvo and Palanacko Cudo, which have all those attributes in addition to thick walls, I don't grow Carmen any more.

kath

So, Kath, where did you find the seeds? I came up with a blank.

So far my Carmen aren't ready yet; maybe that's just OK if they don't get ready. I am a cranky gardener this year and tending to tear out whatever doesn't taste really good. The Shi-shi-to's are being pampered like crazy....

peebee · August 7, 2013

Shi-shi-toes ARE good, aren't they Halleone? Now THAT'S a thin-skinned TASTY pepper! Soft skinned too. To me, a pepper is either thin, soft, like the shi-shis or thicker like the others. Not a strange thin toughie.

Can't be the potting mix, its the same I'm using in the other pepper pots.

Slonovo Uno & Palanacko seeds are hard to come by; they were offered here once in the Seed section and several members got some; I missed the boat. I wish some people would offer them again later this year because they sound great. Maybe I can trade my left over Carmen seeds?

halleone · August 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

Maybe I can trade my left over Carmen seeds?

I hope we both can find some Slonovo Uno and Palanacko for next year!

roper2008 · August 7, 2013

I grew Carmen a couple years ago. It was a delicious sweet
pepper. Mine were not thick skinned.

August 3, 2013	#21
nolabelle Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: N.O., LA (Zone 8b) Posts: 136	I wonder if roasting to remove the skins, then frying would give you what you're looking for in taste and texture with the Carmen peppers. I tried that with cayennes, but the quantity was too overwhelming to remove the skins by hand. __________________ I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it!

July 31, 2013	#17
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	That is a good idea--if I had a large amount. I'm only growing 3 plants in pots and while they are good producers I'm not exactly overwhelmed by the qty. They wouldn't justify the cost of a food mill. There has to be a better way to eat these, for all the hype. Maybe they are not growing thicker walls for me, in my area, and that's the problem. I'll stick with my nu-mex types as they work for me. Except they are not sweet. Oh well.

July 31, 2013	#18
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Peebee, I find that the thinner walled sweet peppers like Jimmy Nardello are at their best when cut into strips and gently fried in olive oil. This softens the skin and also makes them sweeter.

August 3, 2013	#20
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I think the ones I ate tonight were Double Delight from Gurney's. I do have some Carmen, too. I drip some olive oil on them, salt, and toast in a toaster oven for about ten minutes. My peppers are usually not that great, but my mom's garden, which is 1/2 mile away, always has bigger peppers with thicker walls. She uses a lot of horse manure, and the peppers especially seem to thrive on it. I can get a decent tomato plant by just fertilizing the hole I plant in, but that doesn't seem to work with peppers.

August 5, 2013	#22
ChristinaJo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NE Texas Posts: 425	I am growing Carmen as well. I wasn't too impressed. I think I'm ready for just open pollinated types, so when I find a Keeper,it's just that. I can keep it!

August 6, 2013	#24
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	All three plants are giving the same thin walled thick skinned pepper? Key is maybe the potting soil is not optimal for this particular plant? more nutrients or more water or less water. Could be you just do not grow a plant again that does not work for you. Cool thing is you have tried a new variety and can say well in to the next one.

August 7, 2013	#27
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Shi-shi-toes ARE good, aren't they Halleone? Now THAT'S a thin-skinned TASTY pepper! Soft skinned too. To me, a pepper is either thin, soft, like the shi-shis or thicker like the others. Not a strange thin toughie. Can't be the potting mix, its the same I'm using in the other pepper pots. Slonovo Uno & Palanacko seeds are hard to come by; they were offered here once in the Seed section and several members got some; I missed the boat. I wish some people would offer them again later this year because they sound great. Maybe I can trade my left over Carmen seeds?

August 7, 2013	#29
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I grew Carmen a couple years ago. It was a delicious sweet pepper. Mine were not thick skinned.