Lots of chillis.

About 4 years ago one of the many Paco's gave us a long string of dried chillis,  2 different types,  1 long and dark red, the other small and round and very hot.  We called the round ones Scotch Bonnets although they weren't because Scotch Bonnets are squashed looking and these looked like small fat peppers. And the long ones just became known as Paco's long reds.

We saved seeds from both types and grew them for the next couple of years,  ate fresh and dried and again saved seeds.  Last year they seemed to take forever to germinate so we bought 10 chilli plants as well which produced  nearly 500 very hot, very small chillis.  (I know because  I counted them when I picked as I couldn't believe how many chillis such small plants could produce)

We also grow jalapeños - some years we have had almost a forest of them, this year less grew but still enough.

Jalapenos in the sunshine

The normal hanging down type

But the strange thing is the way the chillis from Paco grow.  All our other chillis grow hanging down from the plant but both of Pacos varieties grow upwards.  And we have no idea what type they - any one recognise them? 

The 'Scotch Bonnets' - or may be not.

The long reds that grow up!

I know, looks more like a pepper but it's a chilli.

If you like jalapeños and cream cheese, then for a quick tapas, cut the chilli in half lengthwise and fill with cheese and eat.  Removing the seeds is up to you, depends on how much spicyness you like. 

Jalapeño Poppers.
For a hot tapas - takes a bit longer but it's worth it - slit open a jalapeño and carefully fill with cream cheese.  Easier to do with an piping bag for icing than with a teaspoon.  Leave on the stalk, dip the jalapeño in tempura batter and holding the stalk carefully lower into hot oil.  When the batter has started to brown you can let go of it.  If you just drop it into the fat it'll probably sink and stick to the basket.  We first had these as a bar snack in Rochester, New York, we  found them in England but breaded not battered - a bit on the stodgy side.  Tried making and freezing them but the chilli seemed to lose it's crispness, much better made fresh.