Chiles

It was just a matter of time before this C word got posted, and what better time than the annual harvest of chiles from my garden? This year has yielded a pretty good crop but I again failed to label my plants. I thought I had, but either I was wrong or evil garden gnomes are laughing at my efforts to identify my produce. Today I grilled and peeled an assortment of peppers that included either New Mexico chiles or Italian frying peppers. Both delicious, but with a real difference in heat and recipe application. At least in my own garden I know better than to plant anything I wouldn't eat. I can't say the same for peppers acquired at the farmer's market.

Yes, yes, I know, free will, and all that, but here is what happened. I was looking at a basket of jalapenos and wishing they were serranos, when I spied a basket of long wrinkly members of the capsicum family. When I asked about them, I was told they were too spicy for me. Too spicy for me???? Of course they are, but what self-respecting person walks away from that sort of challenge? I am not sure because I am confident that no one I know would do anything but plunk down two bucks to buy the lot and that is exactly what I did. Now I have a problem. I have no idea what these are or what I should do with them. I went entirely through my Chile Pepper Encyclopedia by Dave DeWitt and I did not see anything that resembles my unidentified capsicums. I did find the following entry though, which is worth sharing:

"In Guntur, as in other worldwide hotbeds of chile consumption, those who do not eat chile are viewed with concern, if not suspicion. The people of Guntur attribute the abnormal avoidance of chile to several causes: the offenders have lived abroad, are from out of town, or have married someone from a less fiery state."

Guilty on all three counts and, I have to say, there is no state less fiery than Appleton, Wisconsin.

But back to the problem at hand, is there anyone out there who can tell me what it is I bought at the farmer's market? Extra bonus points if you can provide a recipe that uses them in some edible and delicious manner.