Do Something Nice Day

We're having another lovely stretch of bright, crisp fall weather. The sun is coming up in a clear sky and a big harvest moon just set behind the Olympic Mountains.  It seems unreal that such horrible things could exist in this beautiful world. 

The tomatoes are almost finished and we had an incredible bounty from just two plants grown in pots on the sunny side of the house.  The peppers were a big surprise, and we have dozens of jalapenos. Some are gradually turning red and they are wildly hot. Just one little pepper is enough to fire up a big pot of bland tofu curry.

What makes some peppers hotter than others?  Hot, dry climates promote the production of capsaicin. It was indeed hot this summer, and a daily chore trying keeping the pots watered.  Apparently, the more stressed the plant is, the more capsaicin grows inside the pepper. For really hot peppers, you should let the soil dry out until the leaves begin to wilt, then give the plant a good soaking.  It wasn't intentional, but that happened over and over all summer.

I chopped one and fried it with leftover vegetable pasta. For the first time, I made something that was too hot to eat.  I'll probably freeze them to dole out for chili and curry seasoning this winter.

October 5th is "Do Something Nice Day." We need it. We are simply overwhelmed with bad news, and our hearts broken for Las Vegas and our loved ones there.  Let's all shine a little light today and spread some cheer.