Super Chilli Aji Crystal Expert Ann goes elsewhere

When it comes to the annual tasting of the chilli peppers on Mr Fothergill’s Suffolk trial grounds the company’s commercial director Ann Loads, whose responsibility the trials are, admits she takes a back seat and relies instead on a small team of ‘nutters’ who are prepared to bite the ends of the peppers to determine which is the hottest. “I’m usually involved in all our taste tests, which we consider to be as important as our growing trials, but when it comes to chillies the merest touch to my tongue has my eyes streaming”, says Ann.

The 2009 award for ‘Hottest Chilli Pepper of the Year’ went to Super Chilli F1, which also topped the poll in the summer of 2008. One of the tasting team commented “it has serious heat, but with a fruitiness rather than just a raw burning sensation”. Ideal for growing in containers, this super-hot variety produces plenty of small, upward-pointing fruits which ripen from pale green to shiny red on compact and most attractive plants. A packet of 10 seeds costs £1.85.

The variety Aji Crystal, originally from Chile, was very popular with the team. The thin waxy fruits had noticeable citrus flavours when in their pale green or orange stages, but when they turned red their fierce heat overpowered these notes. The unripe fruits are ideal for those who like reasonably hot chillies with real flavour. A packet of 15 seeds of Aji Crystal costs £1.49. The Spanish variety Padron was also very well liked in both its green ‘moderately hot and fruity’ and red ripe ‘medium hot to hot’ state. “Padron has a good flavour that fills the mouth but doesn’t last forever”, remarked one taster. A packet of 20 seeds of Chilli Pepper Padron costs £2.15.

Among experimental lines the panel tasted, they were impressed by a new pot type and a super-hot variety in a mix of colours. Mr Fothergill’s may well be listing these two new varieties for the 2011 season. The chilli pepper taste test is always conducted with raw peppers so that no other cooked flavours impair the taste and heat. Seasoned chilli lovers though Ann’s ‘nutters’ are, the test takes place on several days to allow their taste buds to recover.