Thursday, August 19, 2010

Hello Peter

Last winter I asked hubby if there was anything in particular he wanted planted in the garden this year.  He thought a bit, and asked if I could plant pepperoncini peppers for pickling.  I said sure, no problem.  But then I actually had to find pepperoncini peppers, since none of my main seed catalogs (Seed Savers, Fedco, or Johnny's) carries that variety.  After a quick Google I discovered Territorial carried it, so I placed an order.

The plants are very productive.  More peppers than on any of my other varieties (jalapeno, alma paprika, sweet cherry).  I did have a few rot spots on the earlier fruit, but that seems to be over with now.


I planted four plants, and harvested a bunch of fruit (maybe not a peck, exactly) earlier this week. 


I sliced the peppers and soaked them in salt water overnight.  Drain, rinse, drain again.


Pack into hot jars and fill with a strong vinegar/water solution.  My hubby is likely the only one who will be eating these, so these jars plus another harvest in September should supply us with several year's worth of pickled peppers.

Then again, maybe next year I will grow a lot more plants, enough to actually harvest a peck's worth at one time.  And then I will finally be able to answer that age-old question.

7 comments:

The Apple Pie Gal said...

I have tried for 4 years to find the right pepper and brine recipe for these. We love them! Let me know how they measure up! I will be trying for a 5th year...again :)

Leigh said...

They look so attractive, with the bits of ripe red in the jar. My FIL used to love these, though no one else seemed to care for them as much. DH likes his pickles though. I'll have to ask him about this one. You make it look so easy I'd love to give it a try.

Erin said...

I love pepperoncini! These look beautiful!

Mama Pea said...

We've never been much on "hot" peppers but these are tempting me. They look gorgeous.

Maple Lawn Farm said...

I think peppers are beautiful! The plants are beautiful, the fruit is beautiful, and they look beautiful in the jar! Lovely photos!

Anonymous said...

OK, I'll bite, we know where yours are, but where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?

Karen said...

Hahahaha!! I loved your nursery rhyme reference!! You are such a great writer, Jo!!