posted by www.firefoods.co.uk on Jan 9

West dean chilli fiesta is now a three day event, and is the must attend chilli event of the year.

New for 2010 – this exciting cult event will now be over 3 days – giving you the chance to party for longer, as you build up your tastebuds for the hottest chilli in the world.

West Dean’s Chilli Fiesta has been running since 1995 and brings devoted chilli fanatics from all over the world, creating a very special hotspot among the nation’s food events.

tThe 300 chillies and sweet peppers on display in the immaculate glasshouses come in all shapes, sizes and colours, including the hottest chilli in the world: Naga Jolokia, also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Chilli orCalifornia Death Pepper. This was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2007 to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina.

There are chilli growing and cooking demonstrations and tastings galore ranging from the mild to the very hot chilli sauces, jellies, salsas, chutneys, relishes, marinades, nuts and crisps. Even chilli chocolate, chilli ice cream, chilli beer and chilli fruit juices are all on sale!

And if the heat gets too much you can always chill out in the beer and cider tents whilst listening to the salsa, cumbia and lambada sounds from the Latin Fiesta band, guaranteed to get your feet tapping! Salsa dancing lessons and belly dancing demonstrations from Salsa Twist and Spirit of Ishtar will also get you out of your seat in no time.

In addition to event entry, show visitors can make full use of the Parkland walk, a circular walk encompassing stunning landscapes and specimen trees in and around the St Roche’s arboretum.

Opening times: 10.30am – 5pm

Tickets: £9.00 (adults) £8.50 (over 60s) £4.25 (children 5 – 15) £22.00 Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children) Children under 5 Free. Discounts for advanced on-line booking (available from February 2010).

Please note: Dogs are not allowed into the Gardens or Events at anytime, except guide/assistance dogs. They have access to the Parkland and Arboretum only.

text taken from the west dean website http://www.westdean.org.uk/

See you there

Woody

posted by www.firefoods.co.uk on Dec 29

Here is some info on the worlds hottest chilli:
The bhut jolokia (English: king cobra chile) – also known as naga jolokia, Dorset naga, naga morich, or ghost chili – is a chili pepper. In 2007, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina. It is a naturally occurring inter-specific hybrid originating in the Assam region of northeastern India.[1][2] It also grows in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur (manipuri name ‘oo-morok’ ‘oo’ = tree, ‘morok’ = chilli). Disagreement has arisen on whether it is a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense. Some claim it is a C. frutescens,[3] but recent DNA tests have found that it is an interspecies hybrid, mostly C. chinense with some C. frutescens genes.[4]
In 2000, scientists at India’s Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale,[3] and in 2004 an Indian company obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units through HPLC analysis.[5] This makes it almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper, Guinness World Record holder at that time. For comparison, Tabasco red pepper sauce rates at 2,500-5,000, and pure capsaicin (the chemical responsible for the pungency of pepper plants) rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units. [6]
In 2005, at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, regents Professor Paul Bosland found bhut jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.[1]
In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the bhut jolokia (Prof. Bosland’s preferred name for the pepper) as the world’s hottest chili pepper.[1][7]
The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of bhut jolokia peppers is dramatic. A 2005 Indian study that compared the percentage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in bhut jolokia peppers grown in both Tezpur (Assam) and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) showed that the heat of the pepper is decreased by over 50% in Gwalior’s more arid climate (similar temperatures but less humid, much lower rainfall).[8] Ripe peppers measure 60 to 85 mm (2.4 to 3.3 in) long and 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) wide with an orange or red color. They are similar in appearance to the habanero pepper, but have a rougher, dented skin – a main characteristic of the Bhut Jolokia.[9]
The pepper is used as a spice in food or eaten alone. One seed from a bhut jolokia can produce sustained intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Extreme care should be taken when ingesting the pepper and its seeds, so as to not get it in the eyes. It is used as a cure for stomach ailments. It is also used as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration.[2] In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or used in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance.[10][11]
In 2009, scientists at India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the chillies in hand grenades, as a less lethal way to control rioters.[12]