Your favorite fresh pepper for heat and flavor.

[sprtsguy76]

For me its pretty simple, I just love the flavor of a Serrano pepper. I'm addicted to that unique spicy flavor. In particular Devil Serrano its my favorite! The heat is just perfect for me to eat raw with meals or in salsa's. Its also a bit larger than a regular Serrano. We had chicken and pasta tonight for dinner and I had to have my fresh picked Serrano from the garden with it, it just kicks up everything another notch flavor wise! Late in the season when I cant keep up with picking they will turn red and then they are sweet and spicy! Bulgarian cayenne is another one I like to eat fresh when red, it gets even sweeter than the Devil Serrano's.

I do love the taste of habaneros and even ghost chilies but the heat is a bit much for my taste when eating fresh.

Damon

[KarenO]

a few years ago I got some seed for a small yellow-orange heirloom Peruvian chili called Aji amarillo. It is ``edibly`` hot like a cayenne for comparison but has a sweet and distinctly fruity flavor I really like. It is my favorite now and i will grow it every year. Personally I find habernero`s and the super hot peppers too hot to be very useful in my kitchen.
KO

[Crandrew]

i grow aji crystal and use it for salsa, its of Chilean origins. I need to try the Aji Amarillo some time.

[Redbaron]

I always liked hot Hungarian wax for fresh eating. I split them open scoop out the seeds and lay them flat on a sandwich like lettuce. Yummy

Another I like is called mexi bell. Pretty mild spice and just perfect for chopping in a salad where you don't want the heat to overwhelm the rest of the salad but want more flavor than a typical sweet bell.

[sprtsguy76]

Originally Posted by KarenO

a few years ago I got some seed for a small yellow-orange heirloom Peruvian chili called Aji amarillo. It is ``edibly`` hot like a cayenne for comparison but has a sweet and distinctly fruity flavor I really like. It is my favorite now and i will grow it every year. Personally I find habernero`s and the super hot peppers too hot to be very useful in my kitchen.
KO

I'll admit I'm not very versed in medium hot chilies. I 've tried a few. Its a distinct/unique fruity flavor that I am drawn to . I will have find and try these Aji's next year. They sound like they might fit the bill.

Damon

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[biscgolf]

datil

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by sprtsguy76

I'll admit I'm not very versed in medium hot chilies. I 've tried a few. Its a distinct/unique fruity flavor that I am drawn to . I will have find and try these Aji's next year. They sound like they might fit the bill.

Damon

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Damon, I have a few seeds and I can save a bunch this season. Remind me and I would be happy to send you some for next year. I planted these in mid February and for me they have been the earliest to produce. They are tallish and on the spindley side for me but starting to fill out now. Alberta is not famous for pepper growing so This one I keep in my small greenhouse but I find it pretty productive compared to my other peppers. I am sure in California it would do better than here. These are not ripe yet in the picture although they are certainly edible green as well. they become a dark yellow-orange and get sweeter. To compare, they taste like a sweet red pepper but with heat. a hint of apple maybe? anyway I like them for salsa etc. If you google it you will find many recipes for traditional peruvian food which uses this chile a lot.
K

[socalgardengal]

I like my orange manzanos. They are Hot but spicy sweet and great in chili or spagetti sauce

[jdcooper]

Originally Posted by socalgardengal

I like my orange manzanos. They are Hot but spicy sweet and great in chili or spagetti sauce

Are you growing these? I have one plant and it is by far the wonkiest looking, saddest plant in the garden. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

[sprtsguy76]

Socal- do you by chance have any photos of these? I'm really going to try to expand my horizon next year in trying several new to me medium hot peppers. Thanks

Damon

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[Nd2020]

These are really cool, they are called BrainStrains. Fruity and crazy hot, not for the weak. http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...ps13e3e5d7.jpg

If your looking for something less hot these are called aji lemon, less hot and citrus flavor.
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5505b2c3.jpg

Very similar to what KarenO grows.

[Mojave]

I'm a fan of Habaneros, Scorpions and the like but for fresh eating I'd have to say Hinklehatz and Fish Pepper both have incredible taste with the perfect crunch. Both are only medium hot. Baccatums, like Karen's Aji amarillo, are pretty high up there for the same reasons too.

A good jalapeno, with corking por favor, is a good standby!

[socalgardengal]

Yes I've been growing them for 2 seasons now. I over wintered it and it looks a bit sad at the moment. The plant loves cooler weather. I think it needs a bigger pot. From what I was told, they come from high up in the Andes mountains and love cooler weather. I cant post a pic Damon but if you pm me your email addy I could send you a pic that way.

[jdcooper]

It has been hot this summer, several days over 100 and a bunch of 90+ days also. I keep trying to find a shady enough spot for my Orange Manzano but it is still sad. Perhaps in the Fall it'll perk up if not too stunted.

[socalgardengal]

Put it in partial shade. It doesn't look too bad. How old is your plant?