Tepin Small Var. Annuum Pepper

$2.99 FOR 10 SEEDS

These heirloom Tepin pepper seeds will produces tons of of ¼"  pea-sized hot peppers.  Tepin peppers are extremely hot.  Handle with care.  They will turn from green -> to orange -> to red as they continue to mature.  Some claim this variety to be one of the Hottest Pepper in the World. It can sometimes take the seeds about 4-10 weeks to germinate - so patience is a virtue with these babies but definitely worth it in the end. Plant height is approximately 2' - 3'. Highest germination rates occur during the warmer months - around at 80 F or higher.  Grows extremely well in small to medium sized containers.  If you like hot peppers then this variety is a definite must have.
Description/Taste
Tepin chile peppers are round and very small, roughly 3/8” in diameter. The tiny peppers are green when young and bright red when fully mature. The small chiles have a very intense heat, between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville units. It is said that the Tepin chile is spicier than a Habanero chile; though the pungent heat of the Tepin chili quickly diminishes. The residual flavor is somewhat smoky.

Seasons/Availability
Tepin chile peppers are available in the fall.

Current Facts
The Tepin chile pepper is the only chile native to the United States, and it’s the state pepper of Texas. The word Tepin comes from the Nahuatl Mexican word for “flea” because of its small size. It is known by many other names, among them bird’s eye, Chiltepin, and the “mother of all peppers,” because it is thought to be the oldest of the Capsicum annuum species.

Applications
Tepin chile peppers are most often sun-dried and added to soft cheeses and cream sauces, or pickled with wild oregano, garlic and salt to be used as a condiment. It can be fermented and made into hot sauce. In northern Mexico, Tepin chiles have been used as a preservative for meat and also appear in a dish along with wild greens and onions.

Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Mexico, the Tepin chile’s heat is called ‘arrebatado’ meaning “rapid” or “violent” referring to its immense heat that quickly diminishes. The small and spicy chile has a long history along the United States/Mexico border, appearing in traditional dishes, medicines and folklore of the Opatas and Yaqui people of Sonora in northern Mexico, and the O'odham of southern Arizona. The wild-harvesting traditions are still present in some border communities today.

Geography/History
Growing on shrubs in canyons throughout Western Texas and Arizona, the Tepin chile pepper has grown along the Mexican-United States border for generations. Tepin chile peppers are hand-picked because of their small nature and growing environment. Today, there are less than fifteen areas known to be natural habitats for the chiles. They are protected in three different National Parks in the Southwestern United States.


Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Tepin Chile Peppers. One is easiest, three is harder.
Hunter Angler Gardener Cook         Homemade Chiltepin Hot Sauce
Food 52         Quick Garlic Ginger Pickles with Tepin Pepper
Eats Well with Others         Tepin Chile Chicken and Waffles