Q. Hi Dave,Just started receiving your magazine….great stuff. I have two questions re: making hot sauce. 1 – How do I get the vinegar and peppers to not separate once bottled?….the store brands have a nice united texture…my homemade is like oil and vinegar in its separation. 2 – Are there food/health laws governing the sale of hot sauce?… i.e. I have …
What Are Sport Peppers?
Q: Hi Dave-I’m wondering if you can help shed some light on the origin of the term "sport peppers", the small, green pickled peppers so commonly found on Chicago-style hot dogs. I’ve read in certain places that they are small serranos, yet another site claims that there is actually a specific breed of peppers, similar to tabascos, called "sport peppers." …
Scorched baccatum Pods
Q. Dear Dave,Have you noticed in growing C. baccatum any sun scorching on the pods? This summer I grew C. baccatum for the first time. I planted seeds of the ’Aji Limon’ variety and early on had them in full sun. As the first pods started to develop I noticed that they began to get sun scorched quite easily. After …
Making Chile Mash at Home
Q. Hi Dave, Are there any websites that explain how to make pepper mash; I would like to try to make some at home. Thanks, Jon A. Hello Jon:Here’s the method:Use fresh pods of any variety or color but remember that the mash will be the color of the chiles. Remove the seeds and stems of the pods; wash and …
Testing Bottled Hot Sauce
Q. Dave.I made a bout three large bottles of Hot sauce from Habs and Portuguese Hot peppers and I used vinegar in the mix. They have been in the refrigerator un-opened for the last two years and look good. How can I test them without tasting them? Is there a test to see if they are O.K.?Brian A. Hello Brian:You could …