Sunshine, Summer Days and Pepper Jellies

Welcome to the transition from Spring to Summer along Colorado's Front Range.  Although we're having our afternoon shower season right now, we hope it will lead us gracefully into the super sunny days of summer.  Here at Flaming Garden we're gearing up for a fun filled, busy summer season.  We'll be appearing at several summer events and weekly Farmers Markets in the Denver area.  As always we love to meet/see our customers, visit with you and share the great flavors of our pepper jellies.


MARKETS:
All our Farmers Markets this year are with Colorado Fresh Markets.

Our Schedule:
Cherry Creek Fresh Market:
Saturdays from 8 am - 1 pm starting May 4 through October 26.
Sundays from 9 am - 1 pm starting June 19 through September 25

City Park Esplanade Fresh Market:
Sundays from 9 am - 1 pm starting May 12 through October 27

Stapleton Market:
Sundays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm starting June 16 through October 13

Here is the Colorado Fresh Markets website so you can get all the details: http://www.coloradofreshmarkets.com/markets.html

EVENTS:
CHUN Capitol Hill People's Fair

Look closely because this years event is coming up on June 1 and 2 at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.  The hours are Saturday 10 am to 9 pm
Sunday 10 am to 8 pm
Here is the CHUN website announcement for more details: http://www.chundenver.org/display_page.asp?site_id=5&page_id=186&m=1

Denver Pridefest 2013
This years event is also coming up quickly on the calendar the weekend of June 15 and 16 also at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.
Hours:  Saturday 11 am to 7 pm
            Sunday 10 am to 6 pm
The Center website with event information is: http://www.glbtcolorado.org/PrideFest.aspx

Taste of Colorado 2013 (we are not confirmed here yet)

The 2013 Taste will be held on Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 2.  Their website doesn't have a lot of information yet, so keep checking it.  The event will be at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.  Here is the website so you can watch it for information: http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/

FLAMING GARDEN NEWS:
There are exciting doings at Flaming Garden right now.  Becky and Dan are looking into product sales at a local store.  They were approached by the store and are in the information gathering, talking about it stage.  This would be a big step for the company bringing more accessibility to the product for our customers.  While we continue to have online sales available 24-7, 365 days per year at www.flaminggarden.com, our farmers market, and event sales, this will open the door to even more sales opportunities.  As soon as definite plans are in place, you will be the first to know.

We sincerely hope to see all of our fans at the markets and/or events this summer.  Watching people taste and enjoy our jellies is a real delight for us.  So get enjoy the beautiful Colorado sunshine and have a snack with our tasty jellies!!

Interview with our Owner and Founder

We took a hiatus over the winter and a bit of the spring, but we’re back.  We hope you have all enjoyed the crazy weather sent our way in the last few months and are ready for real spring and summer to settle in the Mile High City.  Flaming Garden is more than ready to get out and meet new folks to introduce them to our tasty jellies. 

If you’ve missed us, then you haven't visited our website, www.flaminggarden.com which is awaiting your visit and an order for more jars.  If you're out and about you can now find us on Saturday mornings at the Cherry Creek Farmers Market at the Mall on 1st and University in Denver.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Interview with the Owner

In this post we'll focus our attention on the founder, creator and genius behind our delicious products, Rebecca/Becky Bennett.  She is a true entrepreneur who has taken a simple holiday treat/gift and turned it into a rockin’ new business.  I spoke with Becky last autumn and asked her about Flaming Garden, her inspiration and her life as an entrepreneur.  Here is what I found out.

Personal Information and Background

Becky is married to Dan and they have two young boys, Braden 6, and Taylen 5.  The other members of the family are Deuce, a golden retriever, and Tank and Farrah, their Mastiffs.  Needless to say, even without Flaming Garden, Becky has her hands full.

Becky’s background is in ranching, working as an EMT on an ambulance, and being a desk jockey at an insurance company.  But, hidden deep down inside is an entrepreneur who will not be held back by convention or ‘the system.’  Her first entrepreneurial endeavor was tying halter ropes when she worked a ranch with her first husband in Nevada.  She also competed in Rodeos a bit back then. 

After moving to Colorado, she started her first business, Soul Source, with Dan which turned out to be just a tax write off.  Her next enterprises were Two Hearts Tropical, breeding cyclids from Africa, and Caring Hands massage staring her husband, Dan, as the masseuse.  When she and Dan closed the fish breeding business they embarked on a jelly journey, Flaming Garden, that has been lots of hard work, yet very rewarding. 

Inspiration

I asked Becky what has attracted her to all of these endeavors.  She told me that the halter tying was a draw for her because of the intricacies involved in the work.  Halter tying is an art and she enjoyed the challenge of creating a perfect product.  This love of an artistic challenge has been a driving force behind her unrelenting creative spirit.  Her other endeavors interested her because they involved working with animals or were a creative outlet.

How Flaming Garden Came to be

We talked about Flaming Garden and how that all began.  A friend of Becky's from Hawaii taught her how to make Jalapeno Jelly many years ago.  Becky enjoyed the making the jelly so much that she began making it every year at the holidays as a gift for friends and family.  After a number of years she started playing around with other flavors to go in the jelly.  When these became a success, she began working with other types of chile peppers like Habanero and Jolokia.  She enjoyed the creative challenge here of developing flavors using hot peppers and sweet fruits or savory vegetables.  Her new creations were such a success with friends, family and co-workers that she decided to try to sell some at a company holiday craft fair.  When she almost sold out, she decided this might be a new business.  Flaming Garden was born.

Pepper Creativity

I had to ask her how she comes up with all the creative and delicious flavors.  Her response was that she gets ideas and inspiration from many places.  She herself dreams up so many ideas that most of them are still dreams.  Friends and family have also given her ideas that she has tried and made a success.  For instance, a friend suggested pairing jalapeno with pomegranate.  It is now one of her best-selling flavors. 

When we talked about using the jelly as an ingredient in cooking, she said she wasn’t sure how it all started.  However, she does remember a customer telling her that they put the Strawberry Jolokia over Vanilla Ice Cream and it was delicious.  She and Dan tried it themselves and it's now a favorite dish.  This inspired Becky and Dan to start experimenting with different uses for the jelly.  If you’ve been following this blog, you will know that we have recipes on our website and I have posted many ideas here.  Becky and Dan have used the different jellies for grilling and marinades, as well as toppings for various appetizers.  I asked Becky if her two boys, Braden and Taylen, like the jellies.  She said they do, but that she makes them special batches without the peppers.

Worker Bees

As for who does the work for the business, Becky said it’s mostly her and Dan.  Occasionally they have friends help with cooking when they need large amounts of product, like preparation for People’s Fair and Pride Fest. The boys help out once in a while, with Mom, stirring or taking lids off new jars so they can be sanitized and filled.  Dan does most of the heavy lifting and helps to jar the cooked jelly.  He's also a great salesman and loves to talk with customers at events and markets. 

Flaming Future

Flaming Garden is not just a jelly business though.  As some of you may already know, Becky makes excellent pickled Jalapenos and hot habanero dill pickle relish.  She also makes hot dill pickles by brining them with habaneros.  While these items are not part of the Flaming Garden website yet, you can always contact Becky to ask about them.  There are plans for expanding the product line in the near future to add more jellies and increase production of the pickled Jalapenos and dill pickle products.

Becky’s ultimate goal for Flaming Garden is for it's products to be available in your favorite local grocery store.  While sometimes this seems like a pipe dream, I believe that Becky will make this dream come true.  She obtained a degree in business management a few years ago and is preparing Flaming Garden for their next big step.

Conclusion

Becky is a most excellent creative mind with an impeccable business sense.  She has created a much loved family of products that has a bright, HOT future.  Becky hopes that you will come along with her and the Flaming Garden family on this journey.  She wants to ‘wow’ and ‘inspire’ you with flavors. 

So check out our website, if you haven’t been there yet, and look for us at farmers markets and events this summer.  As usual, I will keep the blog updated with our calendar, so subscribe to the blog and keep current on our activities.  We love to see you and hear about your latest adventures with when “Sweet Meets Heat!”

Happy Holidays 2012

 

Wow, time flies when you’re having fun and nowhere is this more true than at Flaming Garden.  While a lot of hard work goes into bringing you your favorite pepper jelly flavors, a lot of love goes into it too.  Next month I’ll be posting a blog about the people behind the jars, but this month I want to bring you some more innovative ways to use our jellies for gifts and treats this holiday season.

If you have visited our website, www.flaminggarden.com you already know the wide variety of flavors we have to offer.  You should also have seen some of our recipe ideas.  If you’re following our blog you will know that I've posted some tasty ideas for using our jellies in past articles.  They can be found in the Jalapeno article, the Jolokia or Ghost Pepper article, the Chili Pepper Summer article, and the Pride Fest article.  Check these out in our archives from earlier this year.

Even if you've already seen our website and my previous posts, never fear because this post contains even more ways to use our jellies.

Gift Ideas:

For the pepper lover in your family, try checking our website (see above link) for our gift packages.  We’ll ship anywhere in the US for you.  If the gift packages on the website or in our store locations don’t fit the bill for you, give us a call or send an email from the website and we will put together a special order.  We are nothing if not flexible because our goal is to share these jellies with you and those you love.

Perhaps you’re in the Denver Metro area and would like to shop for our products locally.  Well, we have a presence in several Holiday gift boutiques in the area.  

Here’s a list of the boutiques where you can find us:

*  American Dreamers at Southwest Plaza. Lakewood, CO 
*  American Dreamers at Park Meadows Mall as of Sunday December 9

*  A Dickens Store in three locations; 1 store at Aspen Grove Shopping Center, Littleton, CO and 2 stores at Belmar Shopping Center, Lakewood, CO 

*  Southlands Mall, Aurora, CO near Best Buy and Bed Bath and Beyond

We have individual jelly jars for sale as well as gift baskets to choose from at all of these locations.  Our prices on gift baskets has been changed to (2) jars for $10.00 and (3) jars for $15.00.  At these prices you can now afford to get a gift box for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

If you are giving single jars as gifts to those special pepper loving people on your list you can jazz up your gift by putting the jar with a package of specialty crackers, a bottle of their favorite beverage, a freshly baked loaf of bread, or some chocolates.  Be creative and make up a special basket around the jelly or put the jelly in a gift basket with another theme.  No matter how you include the jelly, it will be a highlight of any gift.

Tasty Holiday Uses:

Here is a new recipe for a delightful fruity and spicy grilled chicken that might serve as a holiday celebration entree.  

Grilled Cilantro Mango Chicken with Flaming Garden Pepper Jelly

(Adapted from a recipe by Truvia Natural Sweetener)

Ingredients

1 mango, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro (stems included)

2 tbsp Flaming Garden Mango Jalapeno or Mango Habanero Jelly

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 red onion, diced

2 tablespoons minced ginger

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 fresh lime, juice and zest

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup water

kosher salt to taste

black pepper to taste

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions

Preparation Ahead:

1. Put the mangoes, cilantro, pepper jelly, vinegar, coconut milk, onion, ginger, garlic, lime juice and zest and oil in a food processor and puree until smooth; add some water if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. You should have about 1 quart of marinade. Divide it in half.

2. Place the chicken and half the marinade mixture in a plastic bag and rub to coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours before cooking.  Refrigerate remaining unused marinade in an airtight container.

Cooking Directions

3. Put the unused marinade into a small saucepan with ¼- ½ cup of water (only enough to make sure the marinade is not too thick to start) and simmer over low heat until thick, up to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered.

4. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Spray grill with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken from marinade and grill slowly, turning the heat down to medium.  Cook for about 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side, basting chicken constantly with marinade cooked on the stove only. Discard marinade that was in contact with raw chicken. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

5. Spoon some of the remaining marinade over the chicken as a sauce if desired for serving.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Alas, I don't have any photos of my dish to share with you.  Know that I gave this a try and it was very tasty indeed.  Please note that I did alter this recipe to use our pepper jelly instead of the hot sauce and sweetener called for by the original version.  

Other cooking ideas for you come from my sister, who’s family love some of the Flaming Garden flavors.  The following ideas are from her kitchen where measurements are not considered necessary in order to prepare a perfectly wonderful meal.  I've used the approximates here that she gave me.  (You should have seen her trying to show me on a spoon how much she puts in the pan.)  You see my sister spent her time in the kitchen with our grandmother learning how to cook and I spent mine learning to bake.  Grandma was born and raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and the kitchen was equipped with only a cast iron wood stove.  No measurements oven temperatures or even cook times were given in most of grandma’s recipes.

Sauce ideas:

Sweet and Sour (with a kick) - - use a tablespoon or so of apricot jelly with a tablespoon or so of Flaming Garden Orange Bell Jolokia Pepper Jelly with about ¼ - ½ cup of water to make a sauce for about 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken.  Put the jellies and water in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently.  The jellies will liquefy into the water.  Then add the chicken and re heat it while coating with the jelly sauce.  Serve this with your favorite side.  (My sister serves this with rice and their vegetable of choice)

More Traditional Sweet and Sour - - Add 1 tablespoon of Flaming Garden Orange Bell Jolokia Pepper Jelly to the juice from a 15 oz can of pineapples then add Teriyaki or soy sauce to taste.  My sister likes to saute some peppers and onions in a skillet then add this sauce mixture and her meat of choice (at least one pound of meat).  She cooks this until the sauce is thick and the meat is completely cooked then serves it over white rice.

Flavoring ideas:

My sister is clever when it comes to trying to keep her simple meals interesting and tasty for her family.  She adds something different to a dish she may serve often to keep things from getting boring.  For instance:

Rice - - Add about ¾ to 1 teaspoon of your favorite jelly flavor to the water when making instant rice.  This will flavor the rice giving your dish a new twist.

Chicken - - take cooked and shredded chicken and re heat it in a skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade and 1 tablespoon of Flaming Garden Orange Bell Jolokia Pepper Jelly.  The jellies will liquefy and coat the chicken giving it a luscious flavor.  My sister pairs this with cooked pasta and Alfredo Sauce.  She said the flavored chicken gives this a wonderful new taste that her whole family enjoys.

Pork Chops or Roast - - Two delicious ideas have come from my sisters kitchen for pork, a family favorite when I was growing up.  
**Her first is to use the same 1 tablespoon  orange marmalade and 1 tablespoon Flaming Garden Orange Bell Jolokia Pepper Jelly to marinade the chops before baking them.  Of course you could grill the chops too.  
**Her second is to use about 2 tablespoons Flaming Garden Strawberry Jolokia Pepper Jelly to marinade the chops before cooking.  (Note that the amounts are based on three chops here.  You may need to increase or decrease depending on how many chops, or the size of your roast.)

Ground Beef - - My sister makes some excellent Mexican style dishes and her burritos are a favorite.  Add 1 ½ teaspoons Flaming Garden Red Bell Pepper Jelly to 1 cup cooked ground beef and ½ cup water.  Re heat in a skillet until all is combined and hot.  Mix in about ¾ cup re fried beans and heat through.  Use this as the filling for your burritos and add plenty of shredded cheddar.  (Again, amount may need to be increased or decreased depending on how many servings you need.  This was based on three servings.)

I could go on and on with my sisters ideas.  After all, she filled five pages with notes for me on how she uses the jellies in her cooking.  However, I want to have more to give you in another post.  Hopefully, these ideas have gotten your creative juices flowing and will give you some fresh new tastes to check out this holiday season.

Closing:

Be sure to look for us in the local holiday gift boutiques listed above.  Also, make sure to send us an email or comment on the blog posts to let us know how you use your favorite Flaming Garden flavors.  Or, let us know how you liked one of our recipes or flavor suggestions.  We always love to hear from our customers, whether good or bad, because your feedback motivates us to keep up the good work.

 …and so, with this I bid you all a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, happiness and tasty treats around every corner from all of us at Flaming Garden.

The Jalapeno – Everyone’s Pepper

This is my last blog about the peppers use in our jellies at Flaming Garden and I saved the best for last, the Jalapeno.  As with my other blogs, I will endeavor to be educational and fun. 

I had only ever heard of bell peppers growing up in my upstate New York home where my mother and grandmother cooked hearty German and English dishes.  It wasn’t until my family moved to Colorado, where Mexican and Tex Mex food is much more common, that I learned of the Jalapeno.  It didn’t take long to figure out what HOT food was.  It didn’t mean that it was ‘temperature’ hot, it meant SPICY. 

Since that time, I paid close attention to the foods I ate.  I learned about the hot peppers used in Chinese dishes and the hot spices in Indian foods.  As the years progressed I saw the rise of the Habanero and now the rise of the Jolokia as the hottest peppers.  However, one thing has remained steadfast, everyone’s love of the Jalapeno. 

Basic Information:  (There will be a test so take good notes)

The scientific name for the Jalapeno is Capsicum Annuum ‘Jalapeno.’  Jalapenos are typically 2-31/2 inches in length and we usually eat them when they’re green, before they ripen.  When they’re fully ripe they are a crimson red. 

Jalapenos

As you most likely know, the Jalapeno hales from Veracruz, Mexico.  The name ‘Jalapeno’ is from the city of Xalapa in Veracruz.  Other names for the Jalapeno in Mexico are the huachunango and the chili gordo.  The Jalapeno also grows in the Papaloapan River Basin and in Delicias in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico.  It is cultivated in other areas of Mexico, but in much smaller quantities. 

The Jalapeno is just one of the many cultivars of the Capsicum Annuum chili.  Others you may be familiar with are the Anaheim, Cayenne, Fresno, Pimento, Poblano (the fresh Ancho), Pepperoncini, and the Serrano. 

One of the most sought after pieces of information about the Jalapeno is it’s SHU or Schoville Heat Unit measure which is from 2500 to 3000.  (See my Schoville blog post and my Capsaicin blog for more information about the heat of a chili pepper.)

Handling Precautions:  (You never know what might be on the test)

Despite being a milder pepper, you can still get ‘Capsaicin Fingers’ from handling Jalapenos without gloves.  You can also still irritate your eyes if you touch them after handling the peppers without gloves and not washing your hands.  However, the likelihood of irritation to the lungs or eyes from fumes is quite a bit less, but isn’t out of the question. 

The same precautions apply to Jalapenos as to any other Capsicum pepper.  Wear gloves.  If you do not wear gloves, wash your hands with warm soapy water immediately after contact and do not touch your eyes or face.  Wear a face mask to protect your lungs when cooking with Jalapenos, especially if you have asthma or any other breathing problems, just in case.

Treatment for skin irritation with Jalapenos is similar to what you would do with the hotter Jolokia and Habaneros.  Rinse with warm soapy water immediately.  Use dairy milk, alcohol or vegetable oil and soak the clean skin for 5-10 minutes to counteract the capsaicin reaction.

If you get the juice of the Jalapeno in your eyes, flush with water and get medical attention immediately.  There are creams and medications to help with the irritation from the capsaicin.  If you breathe in the fumes, get fresh air immediately and try using any medication you already take, if any, to help your breathing.

Uses and Recipes: (There will be a taste test at the end, so get cooking!)

As you may already know, Jalapenos are one of the most widely used chilis in our country.  Here I will present some of the uses I have found.  Perhaps you will find some familiar favorites or even some new, exciting ideas to try.

Fun Fact: Bet you didn’t know that in Mexico the juice of the Jalapeno is used as a cure for cardiovascular disease as well as seasonal allergies. 

Chipotle Peppers

A new name in the Foodie world in recent years is Chipotle.  This is simply a Jalapeno that has been dried and smoked.  A restaurant has taken this name and serves up big, delicious burritos.  This rich smoky flavor is now available in salsas, sauces, and other common Mexican dishes.

Who doesn’t like a fresh, hot Jalapeno Popper?  I came across several different recipes for this delicious appetizer.  The most common way to make them is by stuffing the Jalapeno with cream cheese then breading and frying it.  Another tasty recipe called for stuffing the Jalapeno then wrapping it in bacon and broiling or grilling it.  Both are completely delicious.  I also came across different cheese options for the stuffing.  Be creative and have fun with it.

Most everyone has heard of pickled peppers because Peter Piper tried to pick a peck of them.  I wonder if Peter ever tried to pick a peck of pickled Jalapenos.  Hope he was wearing gloves!  Whether sliced or whole, Jalapenos can be pickled using the normal pickling process.  These are a great way to spice up your favorite sandwich, salad, or even use the juice in a Mexican style sauce.

Flaming Garden does make Pickled Jalapenos and they are the BEST.  We may not advertise them, but you can order them by calling or sending an email.

http://www.flaminggarden.com

Texas Toothpicks

Now here’s a new on for me, Texas Toothpicks.  In this recipe, you shave, or julienne, the Jalapenos and some onions into long, thin straws.  Then they are all lightly breaded and deep fried.  This sounds delicious.

Here is the link to one site that had a complete recipe and full instructions:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Sweet-and-Savory-Texas-Toothpicks/

This next one is also new for me, but some of you may have heard of it.  Chiles Toreados is simply a roasted Jalapeno.  The cooking process is fairly simple, but the taste is apparently excellent.  I found several recipes on-line to share when I looked them up, but liked this one the best.

http://www.simplecomfortfood.com/2012/01/11/chiles-toreados/

Chiles Toreados

Flaming Garden uses the Jalapeno the most in our products.  Six of our jelly flavors are made with Jalapenos.  We also make pickled Jalapenos, as previously mentioned, and spicy dill pickles with Jalapenos.  (You may order both of the pickled products by calling or emailing us)  As you may already know from this blog and our website, our jellies are very versatile in the kitchen.  Our Jalapeno flavors are no exception to this.  Each of our jelly flavors has its own special flare and flavors to offer any recipe. 

http://www.flaminggarden.com

Conclusion: (Yes, there is the test. I told you there’d be one)

The Jalapeno is a popular pepper.  It can be used in a wide variety of ways and is milder than many other peppers.  It has a versatile flavor and will always be a favorite.

And now for the test.

1. Did you read to the end of the post? Y/N
2. Do you like Jalapenos? Y/N
3. Will you try to use them in a new way now? Y/N
4. Have you tried our jelly? Y/N
5. Will you use our jelly in a new way? Y/N
6. Did you enjoy this post? Y/N

As for the taste test, when you try your next jalapeno recipe, give us a call and we’d be happy to come over and help you taste it to see how it came out!

Keep checking back with us for more posts on Flaming Garden, peppers and other fun things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalape%C3%B1o

http://www.reference.com/browse/annuum

The Habanero: A Latin Hottie

Here is another “lesson” from me on a chile pepper.  I will again endeavor to make this a fun yet informative experience for you so relax and enjoy.

I always have to start off slow, like a professor. Just stay with me, I promise to keep it interesting and SHORT!

Origins and History:

Grown in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, when the Habanero was found by the Spaniards prior to the 18^th Century they took it all across the globe.  Scientists rediscovered and recorded the Habanero in the 18^th century and named it for China, Capsicum Chinense, a name it still bears.  Now we can find this hot little pepper growing in other countries such as, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama where it is called aji chombo.  The Habanero is also grown in a few parts of the United States including Texas, California, and Idaho. 

 Here’s what to look for.

Features:

These small peppers are only 2-6 centimeters when fully grown.  They are green until they ripen at which time they will be orange or red (the colors we are most used to).  Habaneros will also ripen to be white, pink or brown.  The Scoville Scale measures this pepper up to 350,000 SHU.  So this little package packs quite a punch.  Unlike the friendly Jolokia, the heat reaction you get from eating a Habanero will come across you tongue.  It will build up slowly at first, but it will definitely let you know it’s there!

Now if you read my Jolokia blog, you will hopefully remember that a peppers heat can be influenced by the climate, humidity and other factors in the region where it grows.  This is also true of the Habanero.

Do not confuse the Habanero with the Scotch Bonnet Chile.  These two peppers have a similar flavor and placement on the Scoville Scale.  However, they are two different varieties of the same species of pepper and have different pod types.

Cooking with peppers is fun and rewarding, just watch your tongue!

Uses:

People of the Yucatan Peninsula have made the Habanero an integral part of their diet.  It appears in many of their dishes whether in a puree, a salsa or a solid form. 

In Mexico it is common to place a Habanero in a bottle of tequila or mescal to spice up their drinks.  Now that’s what I call a “shot with a kick!” 

At Flaming Garden, we have three jellies with the Habanero chile our Habanero Pepper Jelly, the Tipsy Apple Spice and our extremely popular Mango Habanero Pepper Jelly. 

Other favorite uses for the Habanero are in hot sauces and salsas, although there are innumerable others.

Here’s where things get tricky, so pay attention!

Handling Tips:

As with any pepper that has capsaicin, you should always wear gloves and a face mask when working with them.  Protecting your eyes, skin and lungs is important. 

If your skin is exposed you should always wash your hands with warm soapy water first.  Wash them well for more than a minute at least.  Soaking the skin in alcohol or a dairy product like milk should help to counteract the capsaicin reaction.  If neither of these are available, you can try applying vegetable oil to the cleaned skin and leave it on for a minute or so then rinse it off. 

If you have ingested some Habanero and it has burned your tongue or upset your stomach you can drink some milk or eat some dairy.  The casein in the dairy counteracts the capsaicins heat reaction on your nerve endings.

If you inhale the fumes of the pepper from cooking, you can use any asthma medication you may have, such as inhalers.  If this is not available, you should consult a physician or get immediate help for the irritation in the lungs from the capsaicin.

If you get the capsaicin in your eyes, flush immediately with plain water or saline only!  Then consult immediately with a physician or seek medical help if the problem is serious.  There are treatments that will help with the pain and burning from the pepper.

Time to wake up!  The teacher is turning on the lights and the film strip is over.

Closing

I hope I didn't make Habaneros or chile peppers sound too scary for some of my readers in that last section.  It’s just that sometimes the good things come with a price.  For lovers of hot food and hot peppers, it's the effects of Capsaicin on our skin, eyes, tongue and lungs.  Flaming Garden believes that pairing such a hot pepper with the sweetness of our jelly is a terrific way to enjoy this tasty little Latin Hottie. 

http://www.chilipeppermadness.com/habanero-chili-pepper.html#.UElUwbJlSAE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habanero_chili

Upcoming Events

Have been studying and unable to blog in the last couple of weeks and I apologize.  I owe everyone a blog about the Habanero Chile since that was on my list as the next subject.  Because I am woefully unprepared to blog about that today, I will mention a couple of upcoming events right now and prepare the Habanero blog as soon as I can.

Here is a link to the homepage for the next event we will be attending, Denver County Fair.
http://www.denvercountyfair.org/

The dates on Friday, the 10th, Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th.  The hours are listed on the website and the location for the event is the National Westen Complex.  We will be set up in the Kitchen Pavilion so it won't be so hot when you come in to have a taste of our jellies and visit.

I checked out the website and there will be some incredible competitions, like a cheeseburger eating contest, going on in the Kitchen Pavilion so there are some great things going on for fellow foodies like us.   There are 13 interconnected pavilions to check out at the fair so we sure hope you get a chance to stop in and see us.

The next event that we will be attending is the Taste of Colorado being held Labor Day Weekend this year..
As always, here is the link to the site for the event:
http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/

This event promises to be filled with colorful performances, great food, great fun and, of course, great vendors.

The website lists some past winners in the best of categories such as, best of taste, decor, value, and menu for the restaurants.  It also features the past winners of arts and crafts contests.  There is a lot going on at this event and it is free, no entrance fee because it is being held at Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver.

We will be anxiously looking forward to seeing everyone there and visiting as well as sharing our wonderful pepper jellies with you all.

Stay tuned for my next blog on the Habanero Chile Pepper.

Ghost Pepper, Jolokia – The Friendly Chile

With this blog posting I start a short series on the different peppers used in Flaming Garden’s products.  As you can see, I am starting with the hottest, and sometimes scariest, the Jolokia or Ghost Pepper.  As usual, I will attempt to make this an informative and fun read for you

After doing some research, I found that the name Ghost is not really accurate.  It is possible that the name Ghost was coined because of the extreme heat and the thought that eating the Jolokia might cause one to “give up the ghost.”  In actuality, this pepper goes by several names in its country(ies) of origin.  Let’s take a quick look at the origin and names.

Origin:

To begin, Jolokia simply means Capsicum Pepper in Assamese, one of the many Indian dialects.  Capsicum is the big person’s word meaning a pepper that has Capsaicin, the chemical that gives you the heat reaction.  (See my Capsaicin blog post)  This chile goes by different names depending on which region/area of India or which country it is grown and harvested.  The Jolokia is grown in the Nagaland and Assam regions of India as well as near Manipur.  It is also grown in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and parts of Bangladesh.

Names:

As for its name, if you harvest the Jolokia north of the Brahmaputra River in India you will call it the Bhot Jolokia to signify that the pepper is of Bhotiya origin or from the Bhutan Region.  However, if you harvest the pepper south of this same river, you will call the pepper Naga Jolokia after the hills of Nagaland.  When you visit India you may also hear this pepper called the Saga Jolokia or India’s Mystery Chile.  The people in Tezpur, Assam, India call the pepper after their city, Tezpur Jolokia.  Sri Lanka calls the Jolokia Pepper Nai Mirris meaning cobra chile, in Bangladesh they call it Naga Morich, and in Nepal it’s called Jogi Khursani.  Finally, in Manipur, India, they call the Jolokia, Umorok which translates to tree chile.  (I leave pronunciation of these location names and names for the Jolokia to the experts and am grateful that I only have to spell them.)

Here is some other information I found about the Jolokia Pepper.

Heat:

As most people are aware, the Jolokia was found to be the hottest chile pepper known.  This was discovered in 2004, according to my research.  The SHU’s (Scoville Heat Units, see my blog on the Scoville Scale) for the Jolokia measured over 1,000,000 at that time, pushing the Red Savina Habanero out of the top spot.  One thing I did not expect to find in my research is that the SHU’s for a chile pepper can vary from year to year depending on the climate, humidity, and soil conditions. 

Uses:

This extremely hot pepper has some interesting current uses and potential uses.  For instance, a research laboratory in India is considering the use of the Jolokia in aerosol sprays for women as a defensive device, as well as in hand grenades to flush terrorists out of hiding or to disperse mobs.  One interesting current use of the Jolokia is to deter elephants.  In northeastern India, the pepper is rubbed on fences or used in smoke bombs to keep elephants at a safe distance from communities.

Flaming Garden:

Currently at Flaming Garden, we use the Jolokia in two of our jellies, the Orange Bell Jolokia and the Strawberry Jolokia flavors.  I have personally started calling this pepper the friendly pepper and I’ll tell you why.  The Jolokia’s heat is manifested in the back of the mouth after it has allowed you to taste it across your tongue.  Most chiles that we are familiar with give the heat across the tongue, where we taste.  This does not give us the same opportunity to taste the pepper because we are getting a pain/burn message from the nerve endings in our tongue at the same time our taste buds are getting their messages.  It is very friendly, I think, of the Jolokia to allow us to taste it before it burns us.

Recipes:

We love the Jolokia’s smoky flavor and think that it pairs well with the savory Orange Bell and the fruity Strawberry.  As you know, we like the Strawberry Jolokia over ice cream.  Any flavor you would pair with Strawberry works from vanilla and chocolate to coffee or cookies-n-cream.   As for the Orange Bell Jolokia Jelly, we pair it with an Asian stir fry.  I don’t have a recipe for this because my choice of vegetables, protein and sauce changes each time I put one together.  The savory flavor of the Orange Bell Pepper marries well with the veggies in your stir fry while the Jolokias heat spices up your sauce.  We suggest using Soy or another savory sauce with the jelly to cut the sweetness, unless you are making a sweet stir fry. 

Conclusion:

Well, that’s all I have on the Jolokia Pepper.  I hope you enjoyed the post and learned something new.  If you already knew all this, I hope you enjoyed it anyway.  If you have any questions please let me know and always feel free to leave a comment.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_Bhut_Jolokia

http://ushotstuff.com/worldshottestchile.htm

Future Events:

http://www.denvercountyfair.org/  - - August 10-12, 2012, National Western Complex

We are confirmed to be at the Denver County Fair this year and hope to see all our fans there and many, many new faces.  As of now I know that we will be inside one of the pavilions, although I don’t know which one.  I will definitely post giving the location of our booth. 

Please feel free to make comments and send us feedback on our products.  Also, make sure to visit our website, www.flaminggarden.com to get more information on our products, ordering, shipping, and recipes.