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Indian Fire Spring time with bird song, Sunshine & Chilli

20/3/2016

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PictureCassie the ChilliDog
Today has been a glorious spring day.  The chillies are loving it in the greenhouse (growing at a rate of knotts), the birds are starting to nest in the garden and we’re inside in the kitchen making Indian Fire.
 

Well it’s not all bad being inside; it makes it all that much nicer when you do venture outside into the sunshine to take Cassie, the chillidog for a walk. Oh and boy doesn’t she enjoy that (Mad Dog!).

Picture
Indian Fire in the Pan
Picture
Indian Fire Chilli Sauce
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Weighing & Bottling Indian Fire
PictureJamaican Jerk Chilli

​Anyway, I thought as it’s been all about Indian Fire today in the kitchen, that I’d give you some info on this yummy sauce;  It can often be overlooking in our range, as it’s neither mild nor rocket fuel, but along with our “Not so Mellow Yellow” it’s my favourite for flavour.


In this creation we use Mango fruit, Orange & Lime Juices, Garam Masala spices together with two chillies; “Fire” and “Jamaican Jerk”, incredibly tasty, fruity and packed full of flavour.  “Jamaican Jerk” is around 130,000 SHUs, where “Fire” is around 572,000 SHUs, so a superhot, but a mighty fine tasting one. ​

PictureFire Chilli
Like many of the chillies we grow and use in our range “Fire” and “Jamaican Jerk” seed come from the very talented and passionate chilli’sts extraordinaire, Joy and Michael from Sea Spring Seeds.

​
Formally known as “Mango Mayhem” we changed the name as many thought it was a sweet, dessert sauce, where in fact it’s more like Indian mango chutney, with a bit of poke.

PictureForest Beef.....
Absolutely delicious with any meats, fish (lovely with fishcakes, yum!), and cheese, mixed into sour cream for a dip or simply as an accompaniment to a curry. 

​But my favourite, well it’s gotta be a bit of bully…… a great bit of local steak from our friends Becky and Russ at Forest Beef, with mushroom, crispy chips & peas. 
​Simple gal really; well a greedy pig who loves her food, especially when it’s great local food of course.


​Have a look for yourselves what some reviewers thought of our sauce and better still, why not give it a try yourselves?   Then you can let us know what you use it with; always love to hear how you use our range.

Indian Fire Reviews

​Mr Friz & Friends 
​Chile Foundry review
Clifton Chilli Club review
Well until my next ramble, enjoy the spring as it develops into we all hope will be a great Summer (fingers, toes and everything crossed!)
 
Mrs C x

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42.. the Answer to everything …. Plus Chillies; now there’s a surprise

7/3/2016

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Wow where has the time gone this year?  It’s as if I’ve blinked & it was Christmas 2015!  Nanna Chillees tells me that it’s a sign of getting older.  Well you can’t argue with that, although I’m sure that one day Chilli will be the Holy Grail of Anti-Aging, Cancer (Oh I truly hope so!), Slimming aid oh & of course the ultimate question of Life, the Universe, and Everything!  Well you gotta dream…… besides we all know that the latter is 42! (Now I’m feeling old!)

"Ultimate question of Life, the Universe, and Everything!”

Anyway enough waffling already….  So what have we been up to; you guessed it, potting chilli seeds.  To be honest that started a while ago (Did I say I was a bit behind with my blogs, sorry all!) Boxing Day to be exact. 

Throughout Christmas Nick is like a school boy waiting for Father Christmas to arrive, no not for the presents (that is unless they contain more chilli seeds of course) or for the Christmas Day meal, although I must say that was wonderful, local & shamefully not a chilli in sight (Nanna Chillees was present so no chilli roast potatoes, sad moment!) But it was for him to officially start the 2016 growing season by sowing his first chilli seed. 

"no chilli roast potatoes, sad moment!”

PictureChilli Babies

Now some may think that sad, but I can assure you the achievement when that first seed was lovingly placed in the prewarmed compost was apparent all over his face; just like the cat that got the cream. 
Then the rest of the Boxing Day events of eating, drinking & snoring on the sofa can commence.  That’s the life.



PictureChilli Baby Forest - Yippee

Worry not dear reader…..

The chilli babies did pop through & soon a mini chilli baby forest was being neutered
in propagators & lights.

This years’ grow list has increased, yet again (only slightly obsessed!), as you will know, Nick always likes to grow some different varieties each year to try the chillies for their flavour.  So this year along with the usual suspects that we use in our products (Dorset Naga, Bengle Naga, Scotch Bonnet, Jamaican Jerk, Fire, Cayenne, Jalapeno, 7 Pot Yellow, Aji Lemon, Trinidad Morouga, Butch T, Red Habanero & Reapers) he’s also growing a few others, so of which are;
PictureNumex Twlight Chilli
  • Primotalii
  • Fatalii Jigsaw
  • Aji Fantasy
  • Hot Fingers
  • Golden Cayenne
  • Ring of Fire
  • Numex Twilight



Some of which are grown for display plants & ones for us to have in the garden too, pretty ones, like Twilight always brighten up a patio area.

If you still haven’t planted your chilli seeds, don’t panic, there are a couple of genuine seed producers, who produce Plug plants & later plants for your to purchase.  Pop over to Sea Spring Seeds (Joy & Michael) or Simpson Seeds (Matt) we happily recommend either company for their quality.  They have years of experience & passion for chillies.

So what now…… the chilli babies are slowly starting to move into their temporary home of the greenhouse, on heated mats and tucked in with lots of bubble wrap, snug as little bugs in a rug.  Then once the greenhouse is busting at the seams, they will be moved into the poly tunnel, once the risk of frost has gone (who knows when that’ll be).

"In the meantime, we put our feet up & wait....."

In the meantime, we put our feet up & wait………  Oh sorry there I go dreaming again!  It’s that time of the year when events need to be booked, products need to be made, paperwork never ends & then the nice bit, we get to experiment in the kitchen, woohoo!  It’s like being a big kid again, making mud pies but with chilli ;)  We’re really lucky to have some incredible local growers & their produce’s flavours are second to none.  Selecting the best ingredients to compliment the chilli flavour is my job & I’m a fussy mare, it has to be right, or it just doesn’t go in. 
Picture

We’ve also done our first event of the year in Dunster’s Tithe Barn, the Exmoor Food Fest.  A new event for us & it was really lovely to see some old friends as well as meet new ones.  It’s often the case that when working for yourself you can go without seeing others for weeks (awww, get the violins out) so our Farmers’ Markets & events are a chance to get out; or as Nick would put it, when I’m allowed out! Bless him!

This year we have cut back on a number of Chilli events, basically there are now so many of them around, also one every week throughout the summer months, that they don’t have that special feel any longer.  So we have picked what we feel are the best feeling events, great atmospheres & they still have a proper Chilli Festival feel.

So this year it allows us to concentrate on more local events, not easy with chilli firms from other areas taking the available places.  Now this is one of my pet hates (prepare yourselves for a bit of a rant!).  I love Somerset & I’m really passionate about our incredible producers, yet unlike Devon or Dorset events who favour their own county’s producers over another & champion their producers, Somerset organisers seem to let any Tom, Dick or Harry in & don’t show any favour towards their own local producers over mass produced. 

"Shame on Somerset, take a leaf out of Devon & Dorset’s book...."

PictureCome on Somerset....We're open.
Overpriced events that mean local producers can’t afford the inflated prices & then they have to accept who ever applies just to fill the spaces.  Meaning in the long run that Somerset Producers are finding it more & more difficult to find events that will allow them in, outside of the county & yet duplicate producers from neighbouring counties are on a winner, as Somerset lets in anyone. Shame on Somerset, take a leaf out of Devon & Dorset’s book & start championing our own county (not just Bristol though please, as companies do exist outside of that city).

Right enough of that! 


No.5 has just received a review from Sam & the lads from the Wiltshire Chilli Club.  This is the first review that No.5 has had; currently the hottest in our range.
A no added sugar sauce with Butch T & Trinidad Morouga Scorpion Chillies in to give it a little sting; definitely a builder-upper sauce.  See that the lads made of it.


some of the club take on no 5 from the chillees

Posted by The wiltshire chilli club - wcc on Friday, 4 March 2016

So What's Next?

So what’s next?  Well we have lots to do before our main events season starts in May & new regulations for labelling means more testing & label changes. I may even get around, after 3 years, to create a proper logo; don’t hold your breath though as I’m not good at making decisions! (Hangs her head in shame)

Nick will be lovingly stroking his chillies & talking sweet nothings to them to grow strong & produce lots of chillies. 

Of course he will remain the chief taster to make sure my creations are hot enough.  However he may need some milk for one of them I’m working on……

On that bombshell, as the twit from Top Gear should say… I will leave you until the next blog; will try not to leave it so long this time.


Much love everyone,

Mrs C  x
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    The Chillees

    New small Business Growing our own chillies & making small batches of Sauces, Jams & Chutney's.  It's all about the flavour as well as the heat.

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