Here in Venezuela, there are several types of chili peppers. I've tried a few, though I'm sure there are still plenty I haven't tried yet. Of the ones I’ve tried so far, my favorite—and my husband’s too, which is why we use it the most at home—is the yellow sweet chili pepper. Unlike the others I’ve tried, this one has a strong aroma, which gives food a unique flavor. Because of that aroma and flavor, in some places it’s known as “ají de sazón” or “condimento.”
So, when I realized that the chili I’d planted in my garden was this one—my favorite—I was overjoyed. It took a while for them to develop any color after I saw them fully grown, and I was finally surprised to discover what kind of chili it was. Although, as I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, we almost always use this variety at home, it could have been any of them, so it really was a nice surprise.
My plant still has a little over six chili peppers waiting to ripen, but I have to tell you that I’ve already harvested three of them. The first one, even though it wasn’t completely yellow, fell off the plant, and so it wouldn’t go to waste, I used it. The others had just turned a truly beautiful, intense yellow, with a glossy sheen that told me right away they were very healthy.
Chili lovers will understand me. For me, chili peppers are definitely a must-have addition to meals, so having a little plant just a few steps from the kitchen is a wonderful gift. So, when I’m home, I keep going out to talk to my little plant and watch how my chili peppers are coming along. I’ve already added these three that I harvested to my meal, and yes, they have that characteristic flavor of yellow chili peppers that fills everything in its path with its aroma.
I can’t believe how this plant—which I thought wouldn’t survive—has given me these three lovely little yellow gifts. There’s no doubt that when you put in enough effort to care for a plant, it literally bears fruit. Even though I can’t afford to buy all those soil nutrients right now and still maintain it using natural materials like fruit peels—and coffee grounds to keep bugs away—my little chili pepper plant is still very grateful.
-Content entirely of my authorship and inspiration. -Original text in Spanish, translated at DeepL. -Personal photographs, taken with my Huawei p30 Lite Phone. -Banners designed in Canva Pro.
