Pickled Frogs and a Lemon Curse.

When our chilli customers 'phone in their orders, more thana few have asked how I came up with the name, and the history behind it. Well the history is the best place to start.

My good friend Sarah Wain, who is in charge of of West Dean Gardens nr Chichester, Sussex, sent me a selection of chilli seeds, all members of the cap baccatum family, one which I have championed for some years due to their unique flavour. Sarah told me she had recieved them from another grower, but had no names to go with them, just trial numbers, so I was left with a series of numbers for names. This was back at the end of 2009, so now lets skip a few monthes, to mid Sept this year, we are having tasting sessions at the Nursery, as usual I am hovering around the tasting tables, listening to comments and answering the odd question. One of our regular customers, a serious small holder an producer of many pickles comments that no 4 would make a great pickle, not being a fan of pickles, I decied to take his word for it. But the variety needed more, then I was reminded of a wonderful Monty Python sketch, titled the Whizzo Quality Assortment, have a look on Youtube. Typed words will not convey the humour, so all I'll say is that if they took the bones out it would not be crunchy.........

Here it is, or should I say, here they are

The Aji Pickled Frogs

Now for a Lemon Curse?

Have nothing to fear. As a producer of veg seeds, I am often left with waste, and like most folks I hate waste. Now Cucumber flesh, once they have been grown for seeds has no use at all, it tends to be a rather sickly yellow and is only good for the compost heap. Tomatoes can be used for soups and other cooked dishes. I like to fill my freezer with bags of soup for the winter, but chillies have always been a bit of a problem. I had wanted to make my own sauces, and had a few problems finding the right sauce people to work with, after some mistakes I am delighted to be working with the Upton Cheyney Chilli Co, who are just the other side of Bath. Already we have made some wonderful creations, the first was 'Sunshine', which we made for this years Chilli Fiesta at West Dean, where it also sold out. For the Corsely Show we produced a deliscious combination of plums, Baccatum chillies and honey, which we called the 'Beauty of Baccatum, this too sold out on the day.

I have spent the last few days having a wonderful time in the kitchen working on Five! Brand new chilli sauces, which shall go into production in the new year, they are

Horny Goat, made with Goat Horn chillies.

Rock n'Roll, Rocoto's and hint of Jack Daniels.

Fruit Burst, made with the Habanero I developed through selecion here at the Nursery.

Lemon Curse, with the wonderful Lemon Drop Chilli.

Finally, and one to be wary of

Megalodon, made with lethally strong 7-Pot, which for two seasons ina row has been measured at over 1,000,ooo Scoville Heat Units, (SHU's).

There is a bit of a 'broo-haa' building up of this chilli, I'll write about this one in a few days.