Pimientos de Padron - Russian roulette of peppers!

[sillydoll]

For all lovers of pimientos de Padron, here is a scrumptious article on these little green devils!

http://www.richmondmagazine.com/blogs.p ... 5d7116106e

Whilst summering in España, I discovered a food that changed my life in a deep and lasting way. Never much fancied myself a pepper person. Oh, I’d taken a dare by El Salvadoran grape pickers and eaten an entire habanero in one bite, and certainly I’d bought my share of Ukrop’s stoplight peppers before the farmers' market scene slapped me upside my head. But never had I explored peppers a cappella until Manolo, the jolly hotelier/restaurateur at Hostal Bahía — Laxe on Costa de la Muerte, served up a plate of pimientos de Padrón. The world spins differently for me now.

 

[MermaidLilli]

On this trip, it was the first racion I asked for when I arrived, and it was the last thing I ate the night before I left. I brought home some seeds back in May-June trip and I hope I can remember where I put them and that they can grow here. They are soooooo yummy. And definitely not as hot as those habaneros..... but they do carry quite the punch if you are lucky enough to hit a spicy one.
Pimientos de Padron, Algunos Pica, Algunos no.
Yum

 

[peregrina2000]

Sssshhhhhh, make sure you don't tell those federal ag people at the airport that you are bringing in seeds. I'm pretty certain it's not allowed, into the US at least. Laurie

 

[familypilgrims]

I am sorry to disappoint, but pimientos de Padron only grow in Padron, they do not grow anywhere else in Spain. I think people have tried without success, but maybe you are on to something.

 

[sillydoll]

And also, so it appears, in Richmond Virginia!

Now that it was late July, I figured I’d have to wait until 2010 to pop my beauties into the ground — then I discovered a stash of Padróns at the Byrd House Market.
Manakintowne Specialty Growers’ Pete Markham can attest under oath to how I blew that week’s market wad on three pounds of Padróns. When you consider that each pepper is the size of a strawberry, this is either quite a feat or the first signs of pathology. My name is Jason Tesauro, and I’m addicted to these peppers. I think I’d sell my mama’s silver for a $40 bag of these babies, and when the growing season’s over, I’m gonna need to hit the clinic for methPadróne to ease the jones.

 

[Javier Martin]

The Franciscanos brought from Mexico in the XVII century, I think, a kind of chilli, and they planted in their monastery of Herbon, 2 km. from Padron. Today, that monastery is an albergue de Peregrinos run by the Galician Asociation (AGACS).

Due to famous history of Padron, center of the hole Galician history, the Jacobeus Traditions, etc, the pepper from Herbon was well known around the world as Pimiento de Padron.

Today it's possible to taste pimientos during the whole year, because it are planted also in Almeria (south east of Spain) and even in Morocco. Padron produce pimientos during the whole year except between January and March.

Buen Camino, Mmmmmm with pementos.

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[laurie]

We too have purchased pimiento seeds in Santiago. They germinate in warmth but as we do not have a heated greenhouse growth to fruiting stage is slow. We have had ripe peppers during the last few weeks and the plants are now full of flowers but a later crop at this time of year is unlikely. I am sure that with a hot summer (hotter than Kent this year), a heated greenhouse or perhaps just a polytunnel one could get a good crop. We did quite well three or four years ago.
Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

First harvest:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The large ones evaded harvest for a few days, and were medium-hot. The rest were "regular." I have not observed that the larger ones in Spain are hotter, but from my plants they are!