So, our annual pepper adventure starts in February. While the rest of the world is still bundled up and dreaming about sunny days, we're already getting our hands dirty with our pepper plants. And no, we're not referring to your typical garden peppers – we're all about the spicy ones. You know, those who wouldn't even consider appearing in a salad. Here in the Netherlands, where the weather isn't quite a tropical utopia, an early start is essential.
Honesty here, if you plant them in May, you might as well say goodbye to those outrageously hot peppers. They need a long season to grow, and without the early start, you will be disappointing yourself come harvest time. That's why we begin in February, sowing indoors on a heat mat – providing the seeds with their own VIP pass! In May, when the sun finally returns and starts shining, we are prepared to transfer those tough little plants outdoors once the dreaded Ice Saints have passed. That extra wee bit of time can be worth a lot to peppers with a high SHU rating.
Every year is a new journey: what pepper do we grow this year? We've tried the notorious Carolina Reaper, said to be the hottest pepper in the world. And boy, is it hot! Imagine having to call the ambulance if you were to eat it raw! I never dared to even take the tiniest bite from a fresh raw Carolina Reaper. Even when you blend it into sambal, it's like your mouth will catch on fire. But in fairness, the flavor fell short. Same with the Bhut Jolokia—tons of heat, but not the flavor we're seeking. That's why we're head over heels in love with Madame Jeanette. It's got a stunning, circusy flavor that makes it not just hot, but SUPER tasty to boot. This year, we experimented and searched for that perfect balance of heat and flavor. Following extensive research and comparison, we ultimately finalized on the 7 Pot Infinity Pepper.
That’s how dangerously hot it is. And that the Infinity pepper is hot may be clear when I say that the Infinity pepper was the hottest pepper in the world in 2011. Yeah, I know, it was only for a very short period. To be exact, it was just for two weeks. Then the Naga Viper and Carolina Reaper took center stage! But with over a million Scoville Heat Units under its belt, the Infinity is still a title contender. What really attracted us is that it's said to have a fruity flavor, akin to the Madame Jeanette. Since Madame Jeanette's origins are in Suriname, we were amazed to learn that this Infinity pepper was developed in England. Yes, it was grown by Nick Woods, who bred several Naga and 7 Pot varieties. The Infinity falls under that latter category, and the twist: one pepper pod is so spicy that it can flavor seven stew pots. Clever name, no?
These Infinity plants grew like rockets! We were astonished at how tall they got—well over a meter, which is remarkable for peppers. But just because they're tall does not mean we should have high expectations. Luckily, our initial harvest was nothing short of phenomenal. We had big, stunning peppers, ready to be processed.
Then summer just went and played hardball. The corn's gone already, the wind is howling, and the temperatures are dropping. Not really great weather for our little pepper babies. So, we rolled up our sleeves and braced ourselves for the first harvest. And boy, did we have a bumper crop!
Yesterday, we made another batch of sambal using those Infinity peppers. Our cellar is stocked up once more, so we'll do fine for a long time. No sambal dash to the shop required! But believe me, this sambal is not to be trifled with. My partner mixed half a teaspoon of the sambal into his spaghetti yesterday. Oh boy, He felt like he nearly broke down, and he's the one who is better at holding the heat than I am! I haven't mustered the nerve to try it yet, but I've been warned. The heat is, well, Infinity!
We might be crazy, but we're taking on the same challenge every year, from selecting the appropriate pepper to cultivating the plants and finally preparing the harvest. But if you end up with those jars of sambal so hot. One little jar lasts for months. And then you know it was all worth the hassle!
