Chilli nuts

[Patchninja]

I don't grow chillis but we do like the Espelette chilli powder that comes from the Basque region on France and I thought you might like to see a lovely string of drying chillies that I got through the post today. DO any of you dry your chillies like this? It's so pretty to have in the kitchen.
Apparently when it's dry, you grind it to the texture you like best.

[smallblueplanet]

We grew some pimente de espelette last year - they were quite prolific. These have been hanging up since about October, I keep meaning to grind them up for paprika because their skins are too tough to eat fresh.

[HotStuff]

Yep, it's commonly known as a Ristra. This one was in my airing cupboard to dry out quicker.

[COMPOST CORNER]

How many plants do you need to get that many chillies? Looks amazing.

[HotStuff]

Thanks CC, believe it or not they were all from one plant. I have 2 Apaches, Geronimo & Cochise, they are both prolific and this will be their 3rd summer. All the Chillies in the pic were from Geronimo. Once dried and whizzed up in a blender the fruit make excellent Chilli flakes.

Have to say those Espelette are a beautiful colour, might have to have a go at growing some of those.

[danmon_81]

Yep, it's commonly known as a Ristra. This one was in my airing cupboard to dry out quicker.

Is it not Rista??

[HotStuff]

Is it not Rista??

Let me google that for you

[danmon_81]

yep...i stand corrected.

[Patchninja]

Well, if it's one made from Piments d'Espelette, then the French call it "une corde" - Espelette is in France. Is Rista the Basque for it?

Interestingly, they say you should never cook it, just sprinkle it on the finished dish as you might salt or pepper. It's classed as a 5 on the Scoville scale.

Get your seeds and earrings here!
http://www.piment-espelette.info/produits.html

[cupcake]

I LOVE the earrings!

[Jelliebabe]

I have a bowl full of chili's that I have on my kitchen window cill since I picked them last year. They look just the same as the ones in your picture (except they are all different sorts of chilli's). They have dried out beautifully just like that. I do mean to get a morter and pestle to grind them in to powder but havent jsut yet! I just chope them into anything that needs it and they crumble up! :0) love chilli

[smallblueplanet]

Lots of pictures of piment d'espelette growing - from the official site (they're an A.O.C.) but in French...

Piment d'Espelette – Ezpeletako Biperra| De la graine à la poudre

[HotStuff]

Well, if it's one made from Piments d'Espelette, then the French call it "une corde" - Espelette is in France. Is Rista the Basque for it?

The common English term is Ristra, but that's actually a borrowed Spanish word. Etymologically it's derived from the Latin restis meaning a rope or cord, so I guess it all comes back to the same thing

[Patchninja]

Crikey, I
I'm getting the urge to have a go at growing them now. It's more interesting than I thought!
Thanks for the info!