Nikon D90, 28-105mm
I'm growing shishito peppers this year, in planters on our front porch.
We first had these last spring on our trip to Miami Beach, served as appetizers at the hotel bar. And I've been waiting ever since to grow some of these myself.
They're chili peppers. They're smaller and not quite as fleshy as a jalapeno, but they're completely heat-free*: no hotter than a bell pepper. So, you can just eat them, seeds too, one after another. Pluck em off the plant, pierce with a knife, throw into a hot frying pan with a touch of oil, cook for a couple minutes until they're just soft and starting to brown, then sprinkle with kosher salt: instant snack. Their stems make nice handles.
* - in general, sometimes a rogue will surprise you with a bit of heat.
Intriguing. Do they taste like bell peppers?
nope. they taste like chili peppers, but without heat.
Ah! I see the appeal then.
i’ve heard they’re popular in Japan, for tempura. reportedly the Japanese aren’t really big into hot pepper.
I was going to wonder what the point was, but that is intriguing to have a chili pepper that has no heat. I might miss the heat though.