Well, things are getting back to normal around here, or as normal as they ever get. We're busy at work, of course, which means I'm worn out when I get home and I don't want to do anything except play Kingdom of Loathing, read, and research peppers.
I feel disconnected from my usual online writing buddies lately. I haven't been reading y'all's blogs regularly, and I haven't been writing much myself. I hardly have any stories out there right now and have yet to make a sale in 2010, which I think is contributing to my feeling of isolation. Once I stop feeling so rocky and grim (I expect part of the problem is our late and chilly spring so far), I hope to get back into the swing of writing.
The "research peppers" thing has actually turned into a minor writing project, at least. I started out jotting down notes on the growing and uses of various chile pepper varieties, which morphed into a small document where I typed up and elaborated on my notes, which in turn morphed into a bigger document with much more information on many more pepper varieties, with no end in sight. My goal is to cover about 100 pepper varieties, together with recipes and other general information, and then I'll put it on Lulu, order a few copies to take with me to the farmer's market, and print out relevant pages (with recipes) for the pepper varieties I'm selling, to give away to potential customers.
My pepper plants are starting to come up. First up were the Serranos, then the Cubanelles and the Hungarian Hot Wax, and now I've got a few Minibells up too. The Grand Bells have stubbornly resisted germinating, although they may yet surprise me in another week or so. The more interesting peppers--Thai hot, Anaheim, Fatali, and more--won't be up for a few more weeks. I've also got Black Hungarian and Fish pepper seeds on their way to me; I ordered them yesterday. I wish I'd started all this peppermania back in January or early February instead of March. Peppers take a long time to mature, and I've never grown them from seed so I didn't know going in how long some varieties take just to germinate (a month is not unusual for some varieties).
The garden isn't quite ready, but it won't be time to transplant the peppers until May anyway. I will be planting radishes in about a week, though. I don't particularly like radishes, but I can sell them at the farmer's market along with my seedling pepper plants in late April. I'm all about the farmer's market right now. Considering that the cold weather and earthquakes this year in various parts of the Americas have had a bad effect on the pepper crops, I could make a tidy little sum over the summer.
13 comments:
Hmm...a pepper pusher. Sounds like quite a little venture you've got there.
I know who to turn to if I have any pepper questions in the near future.
I am absolutely open to answering pepper questions. If necessary, I can start making stuff up. :)
I would like to grow asian peppers : ) I would also like to sell a story in 2010 *sigh*
I'll send you some Thai Hot peppers this summer, if you like. I think those are the only Asian peppers I've got, though.
Ah, wait, unless that was a double entendre. In which case, I'm keeping the Thai Hot peppers all to myself, thanks. :)
The pepper thing sounds like a really good idea.
Embarrasing fact: I don't know what to do with a pepper - do you cook them, do you eat them raw? Maybe, I should buy your book. :D
You can cook them OR eat them raw, depending on how well you like eating peppers. I don't eat them raw, myself, although I do like adding cayenne peppers when I cook Mexican.
Mmm, hot Thai waiters. I mean yes, peppers would rock ; ) I got some...actually I don't know what they're called, but I see them in Vietnamese and Korean food a lot. Ying says I have to grow them in a pot.
Are they little red and yellow peppers about the shape of candy corn? Look like Tabasco peppers? If so, they're probably Thai hots. I'd be happy to send you some, seriously, assuming mine grow.
Got any recipes that call for them? I'm collecting pepper recipes!
Growing things is always fun. Our beets and snow peas are in the ground, but I'm holding off on the more touchy veggies.
Happy peppering.
They're medium sized and dark green. I don't think they're native to Asia, but Vietnamese love to put them in noodle soup. It adds a lovely kick : )
I would love some Thai peppers! Ying says I can dry them and use them all year.
Aaron--Our chance of frost ends more or less at the end of April. Until then, I'm only going to plant the radishes. Come on, May!
Natalie--I have no idea about the green peppers, there are so many kinds. If he can find out what variety they are, I can see if I can chase up some seeds. I'll definitely be sending you a bunch of Thai peppers this summer, assuming the seeds come up in the first place. :)
Thanks, Kate. When I buy little packs of salad in they always have pepper in them but I'm never certain if they're cooked or if you can have them raw.
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