Although France is in many ways a culinary paradise there is one thing that the French tastebud does not seem to appreciate and that is the English version of hot and spicy. Rich and wine-flavoured, delicate, perfumed and oriental, mock Mexican and fruity Moroccan are savoured with the utmost appreciation but trying to introduce our friends and neighbours to the spice and heat of even the mildest curry, it has to be said, is a serious challenge. Mr H is a formidable curry chef, only the freshest ingredients and authentic methods will pass muster and amongst the varied selection of herbs in our kitchen garden are to be found, weather permitting, examples of our favourite coriander and a handful or three of deliriously bright red chillies, now starting to bear fruit. Here is where the real fun begins – an amusing game of culinary Russian Roulette. We have absolutely no idea how hot each individual chilli will prove to be. Yesterday’s ‘hot spicy pasta’ dish faded into dull tastebud oblivion with barely even a hint of chilli ; tonight’s barbecued pork with a few shavings of chilli for decorative purposes only, nearly blew our brains out………..!
View from a French Hillside 
Beautiful chili peppers!! I love them!! 🙂 Gorgeous red and green colors — very crisp and YUMMY!!
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Hi west517 ! Glad you like them, the colours are positively luminous aren’t they – we both looked a bit that colour after eating the fiery fellow this evening! 😈
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GL = giant “like”! ❤ btw, have you been to Espelette, Pays basque?… 🙂
http://myvirtualplayground.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/espelette-piments-chocolat-noir/
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Hi Melanie! Thankyou for the GL 🙂 Sadly no, still haven’t done that much travelling here – too busy working unfortunately but love the idea of chilli and chocolate so Espelette is on the agenda !
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Ha ha…We’ve been playing chili roulette while here in Spain…Amongst our first purchases were three chili plants,(abundantly fruited) from the market and we’ve been hitting them big style since….One is an absolute scorcher, but we still don’t haven’t worked out which….Makes for exciting first mouthfuls.
Great pics again…Particularly like six and nine where that rather splendid knife seems to form a chili secatur…Smashing!
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Thankyou sh 🙂 Those are my two favourites, that knife is rather cool isn’t it, had a set in my shop from a French coutellier, he’s disappeared now – probably sinister goings on, given the weaponry
Just make sure you don’t put the chillies in your morning smoothie or decide to rub your eyes in their vicinity ! 😦 👿
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A chili smoothie..**!!
Do you know, that’s actually quite appealing…. 💡
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It should be good actually – we have lots of ginger in ours so why not chilli? 🙂 Goes with chocolate too 🙂 🙂
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Chili and choc is a marriage made in heaven… I bought some artisanal chocolate made with extra virgin olive oil (no dairy) in Ubeda a couple of weeks ago…One block with brandy soaked raisins and one with chillies…Amazed to say the chili was my favourite of the two….Brandy pushed into second place…UNHEARD OF !
🙂
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Have to confess I haven’t tried the chili choc combo yet but sounds sublime, I’m still slavering over the thought of that brandy and raisin option! 👿 Sad to say I live in the heart of Cognac country but don’t get on with the drink itself, at least I like it but it doesn’t like me 😳 😦 How could you only manage to buy a block each btw, surely a small trailerload would have been more appropriate? ❓ 🙂 🙂
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‘Twas in the low forties and I had but one air-conditioned glove box…..I am considering a further visit with a 42 litre cool box I have at my disposal…
(But the 4.50 Euros per 125 grammes was also a bit of a dissuader…Eeeeek!)
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OOer, I guess it doesn’t do to have exotic choccy habits
You could probably buy a few bottles of Cognac with the dosh for 42 litres worth. PS You’ll definitely have to knock that on the head with the student grant 
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Lets not talk about just how broke I’m going to be…..
I might have to cancel my Beluga…
😦
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Are we talking caviar here or is that a Japanese import SUV vehicle?
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Japanese!!!????******
Japanese????!!!!**/?!!
Who do you think I am?
Honestly!
Cheek of the woman!
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Frankly sh, as a once proud owner of Alfa Romeos, now a humble owner of a Hyundai Matrix, I see any vehicle (except for Robin Reliants and Renault Kangoos) as aspirational… 😦 🙂
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Hmmmm…
OK, I admit it…..I understand where you’re coming from there…
Compared to a Hyundai Matrix I imagine a pair of roller skates might seem like a step up…
👿
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Now I have to say I think you’re being a little cruel there sh, 😦 a pair of roller skates would be much faster than a Matrix 😦 PS Just posted some pics, probably not quite your thing but if you find yourself at a very loose end you might like to take a look !!! 😀
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Evil is my middle name…..:evil:
(Skates are also more comfortable and handle better in the corners)….
I will indeed pop over for a shufti…There might be something else I can insult. 😀
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Oh but you are so kind sir! Insult away, I shall rise above it all, I am after all a very mature person 😛
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I never thought owt t’ut contrary…….
🙂
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🙂
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PS 😛
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😛 yourself
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I
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Don’t haven’t ?
I haven’t woken up yet that’s for sure…..
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Just assumed you were practising your gibberish
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I don’t need to practise………It comes easy.
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Yep, already noticed 😉
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😉
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PS It’s nice to encounter someone else who actually reads what they’ve written ! 🙂
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I just need to work on doing it before I hit the button…..
😳
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Good point
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Stunning photography, Jane. Your third eye should be captured and bottled in formaldehyde for great scientists and artists to study once you’ve shuffled off this mortal coil.
And yum–chili peppers. I adore them in all their forms, from savory to sweet. A couple times a week I make a batch of lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper juice. Now thatsa spicy! And delish. A flushing detox.
And yes, you truly have to taste chili and chocolate together. Mind-blowing magic.
Most summers I grow a “salsa” garden, and I’m forever trying to find more places to plant exotic peppers. I wish you good luck with the neighbors and the curry. Surely you will win them over. The world must have a taste of it. It is not to be missed.
Cheers to you, Jane!
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Shelley you are very kind, it is much appreciated and always encouraging! I love the idea of a “salsa” garden and the lemon-ginger-cayenne-juice – will have to try it and the chiili chocolate combo.. 🙂 🙂 🙂 !! As for the neighbours and the curry ( battle lost I think !) we have the pleasure of eating all our experiments ourselves ..:) 🙂 !! PS Really hope the transfer to college went well for you both?!
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Apart from the first load of laundry turning pink, all is a go! 😛
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Sounds pretty promising to me 😀
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ooh, I like the one chili and knife on black, and also the one just below it with knife. They’re much better than the dried ones!
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Thankyou badfish – they’re my favourites too – just visited your chillies and I actually really like the crinkly texture of the dried variety but you did some lovely fresh ones too so we’re spoilt for choice! Love chillies, we eat lots of curry and there’s nothing like fresh to bring out the flavours – great in pasta dishes too!
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Right! Love that chili!
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