🌶️ The Casa Verde Grand Pepper Guide
Grow Like a Chef • Cook Like a Rebel • Sweat Like a Gentleman
Peppers are not a dare.
They're not a macho-contest, or an online challenge involving sad men crying into yogurt.
Here at Casa Verde, we believe something radical:
Peppers should taste good. Actually good.
Complex, floral, sweet-heat, full-body flavor bomb good.
Not “why did I eat this, I can’t feel my lips, someone call my mom” good.
Welcome to the church of Sweet Heat, where flavour sits on the throne and capsaicin is the charming sidekick, not the dictator.
Let’s go tour the pepper universe you're about to grow.
🔥 Section 1: Peppers That Beg To Be Blistered, Roasted, & Drowned in Olive Oil
These babies hit a pan like they studied abroad in Spain and came home with personality.
| Variety | Vibe | Cooking Style |
|---|---|---|
| Padron | Classic tapas child | Flash fry, flaky salt, pretend you're rich |
| Shishito | The extroverted cousin | Char till blistered, lemon squeeze, devour |
| Fushimi | Japan's silky stir-fry artist | Stir fry, soy, sesame, smug satisfaction |
| Jimmy Nardello | Sweet Italian grandpa energy | Roast whole, sandwich, red wine mandatory |
| Manganji | Kyoto subtle, Michelin whisper | Brush w/miso butter and transcend humanity |
| Sweet Spanish / Ajvarski / Txorixero | European grandma comfort | Roast and puree into creamy pepper spread |
Serving suggestion:
Toss on grill. Drink something cold. Pretend you're vacationing in San Sebastian, not your driveway in Quebec.
🥗 Section 2: Raw, Crunchy, Sexy, “Did a Chef Make This?” Peppers
Peppers made for crudo, ceviche, salads, and flexing on Instagram.
| Variety | Personality | Try It In |
|---|---|---|
| Habanada | Floral perfume, zero pain | Crudo, carpaccio, citrus dressing, tears of joy |
| Leysa | Sweet heat elegance | Thinly sliced over oysters |
| Criolla de Cocina | Rustic yet sophisticated | Tomato + burrata salad upgrade |
| Black Biquinho | The pepper equivalent of caviar | Cocktails, pickles, raw garnish |
| Nadapeño | Jalapeño that went to therapy | Pico, salsas, sushi taco garnish |
| Pumpkin Spice Jalapeño | Autumn-basic energy (but delicious) | Fall salsas, apple + jalapeño crudo |
Cut tiny rings, scatter on everything.
Your guests will assume you own a chef knife and a personality.
🧪 Section 3: Ferment Fiends & Hot Sauce Royalty
These peppers exist to bubble, funk, age, and turn into sauce you name like they're your children.
| Variety | Flavor Notes | Sauce Personality |
|---|---|---|
| Aji Mango / Ahi Mango | Tropical sweetness, gentle sunburn | Mango-lime fermented sauce |
| Aji Amarillo | Peruvian citrus warmth | Tiradito-funding national treasure |
| Aji Fantasy Peach / White | Soft fruit glow, floral acidity | Sweet-heat pastel-colored heaven |
| Charapita | Pixie-dust pepper crunch | Luxurious tiny pearls of fire |
| Brazilian Starfish | Fruity UFO | Slice + ferment = interstellar flavor |
| Sugar Rush Stripey | Fruity, stripey chaos | Looks insane, tastes like vacation |
| Hot Portugal / Portuguese Goat Heart | Old world chili perfume | Rustic sauce for your sourdough personality |
| Tabago Seasoning Peppers / Aji Cachucha | Caribbean perfume w/ training wheels heat | Sofrito starter pack |
Pro tip:
Blend roasted peppers + fermented peppers.
Boom: Michelin-adjacent sauce energy.
👑 Section 4: Pretty Peppers That Make Neighbors Jealous
Sometimes you grow for taste.
Sometimes you grow to win the yard Instagram Olympics.
| Variety | Aesthetic Rating |
|---|---|
| Black Pearl – Goth royalty 🌑✨ | |
| Blue X-MAS – Holiday pepper that refuses to be normal 🎄⚡ | |
| Yellow Tiger – Spicy fashion icon 🐅 | |
| Blot – Painterly variegation, gallery-worthy 🎨 | |
| NuMex Summer Solstice – Purple leaves, gold pods, mood 🌈 | |
| Multicolor Mini Bells – Pastel pepper confetti 🎀 |
Plant these near sidewalk.
Instant street cred.
🌈 Section 5: The Sweet-Heat Hall of Fame (Our Religion)
What we stand for:
Flavor first.
Heat second.
Joy always.
| Variety | Why it rules |
|---|---|
| Habanero El Remo | Warm whisper, fruity melody |
| Stuffing Scotch Bonnet | Caribbean charm without tears |
| TAM Jalapeño / Early Jalapeño / Craig’s Grande | Reliable OGs with manners |
| Bananarama | Sweet pepper nostalgia snack |
| Cherry Bomb | The name alone sells itself |
| Orange Long Glow / Snow Ball Long Yellow Bell | Bell peppers that get it |
| Dragonfly & Black Pearl | Dark glossy beauty |
| Grueso de Plaza / Rocoto Red | Bold flesh, real pepper energy |
🥵 For the Spice Freaks (We Still Love You)
We don’t breed pain…
…but we do carry some flavorful fire.
| Variety | Description |
|---|---|
| Red Thai | Fast punch, noodles approved |
| Golden Cayenne / Wildcat Cayenne / Ahi Mango | Classic cutting board warriors |
| KSLS Lemon Starburst | Citrus heat missile |
| Charapita | Tiny gold fire-pearls |
Small. Fiery. Makes you feel alive.
(Like your best bad decisions.)
🌱 Growing Tips From Casa Verde HQ
-
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before frost
-
Keep soil warm, peppers are dramatic actors (26–30°C)
-
Pot up gently, whisper encouragement
-
Harden off or they will complain publicly
-
Full sun or full pout
-
Red stage = ultimate flavor flex
Peppers don’t rush maturity, and neither should you.
Great things take time — sourdough, marriages, peppers.
❤️ Final Word
Peppers aren’t just plants — they’re personality traits.
Grow like a chef.
Cook like you mean it.
Sweat with dignity.
Post smug harvest photos.
🌶️ Casa Verde: Canada’s Home of Sweet Heat™
