Mini Sweet Choc Capsicum and diversity
Well I can’t say I’ve found a lot of information about this type of capsicum (peppers for you guys in America and UK). Which is a testament to how much we lack in diversity at the supermarket. At any one time the most difference in types of capsicum I’ve seen are red, green and orange. The orange variety is not as abundant as the red and greens. So to find a type of capsicum that is different is an absolute bonus to me.
“A succulent sweet capsicum with thick flesh, dark chocolate on the outside, and deep burgundy inside when fully ripe.” source
So why should I bother trying out weird varieties?
In today’s commercial food growing farmers are forced to grow the varieties that will sell. So if all the supermarkets are buying are red and green capsicums and no one is buying orange what happens to the orange variety? Well no one grows it!
After a while it disappears from the genetic pool completely and the overall gene pool for capsicums is weakened. What happens if a virus makes it’s way through capsicums and it’s only the orange variety that used to have the gene that fights it off? It’s been bred out of the majority of capsicums. At least that’s the way I see it. I may be wrong in why it’s good but I do know it’s positive and important to maintain as wide a genetic pool as possible in our vegetables!
The best thing about growing capsicum is how easy it is! It’s just a potted plant that wants sunlight and water. Nothing unusual. Nothing particularly difficult in maintaining it, give it a bit of fertilizer and watch it grow. The small plant that I bought already has the beginnings of some capsicums so I might not have to wait too long to tell you what they’re like!
Something you’ll find is when it does produce the veggies they won’t be as big as the ones you find in the shops unless you put it in a pretty big pot and give it a fair bit of time. The great thing is that those capsicums will be the tastiest ones you’ve ever had even if they are quite small!
My advice is try them on pizza. Because they are small you’ll probably be able to stretch one or two to a family sized pizza and because they are so flavoursome you’ll really notice them!
April 13th, 2007 at 12:41 am
i always thought that the colours of peppers were just a reflection on how ripe they are - green being unripe, going through orange and finally red.
I could be wrong though.
We can’t grow peppers over here unless they are in a greenhouse, which I haven’t got unfortunately.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:38 am
If you had room in the kitchen you could try growing one inside near a window but then who’s got room in their kitchen nowadays LOL
April 13th, 2007 at 10:07 am
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