Hot Chile Pepper Plant

In the shares this week you will have what looks like a pepper plant.  I think that they are a little early this year.

These plants bring back some memories of my childhood.  I think that my grandmother grew them and I can remember my father and my grandfather drying and cooking them.

My father always grew these peppers, now he waits for me to bring them  from the farm.  He either just hangs the plant in a sunny area for a few weeks and they will dry and then he will fry them and sprinkle them over pasta or on dishes he would use dried hot pepper on.

My Grandmother would take them off the plant and string them, under the
stem and again hang them until they would dry and then she would grind
them.

They can also be dried on a rack.  Again that will take a couple of weeks.
In the oven at a very low temperature, the oven door should be open so that
there is air flow. For this method, cut them in 1/2 first.

When they are air dried they can also be ornamental, hang them in the
kitchen or they are also the peppers that are used in wreaths.

I use mine as a fresh hot pepper and I just chop them into dishes I am
making.