Chilis! (for when it's not Chilly)

As you may have noticed, if you've frequented my blog before, I have a thing for chili peppers.  More the spicy and ornamental kind, though I do like the sweet bell ones too, the versatility and variety of the spicier versions (the ancestor of the sweet bell types types, btw) really excites me.

I've been slowly building up (and killing) my stock of ornamental and regular chili peppers.  Peppers are quite perennial if you live in the right locations or can offer good cover/shelter/conditions when unseasonable times arrive.

I had a jalapeno growing well for 2 years straight producing fruits in the winter for my use (it loved me I think) until I've begun playing aphid invaders and the aphid squish game this winter.  My calico, tricolore garda and black pearl chili plants have been attacked and luckily they've all fruited and set seed and I've saved seed of them for re-starting if need be, there's nothing like having a mature, well established plant.  One established plant of each variety I'd like to add because I have a tendency to not want to get rid of a cool plant and then it takes up space... but then some lucky person can have my cast off!

The reason for this post however is to address a recent Herb Companion article on Chili Rellenos, because plants and food for me go hand in hand nearly always.

I have tried in the past to grow poblano/ancho/mole chilis for the past few years will little success, partially due to bad locations, another time because swallowtail butterfly caterpillars decided that they wanted to snack on it. (I suppose it was near the dill and parsley plants...)

I've only been successful in growing 2 of the peppers (really sad) and once I discovered that my local Mexican mart sells them dried for the obscene cheap, I said "screw it" and decided to just buy them in the bags as they last forever.

This recipe reminded me of the joys of fresh poblano chilies again and as I don't usually plan in advance what I'm going to eat, and instead wing it, or just run out into the garden to see what's good, I would love to be able to have on hand fresh poblanos (and I guess have some ready in the freezer as was done in the article)  I might attempt to grow these again.

Since I don't want to pay for seeds (as usual) I still have dried poblanos in the pantry, I will attempt to grow them from the seeds in the dried ones from the bag.  I hope it works!  With luck, I can dig up a good plant before the winter and keep it inside (where with luck it will keep giving me more fruits) and make deliciousness in the winter too! Woot! (and not have to re-grow the plant again next spring).

Hmmm... as usual, where am I putting this....? (You see, there is a problem with having planned your garden ahead!)