It's like anything else, you gotta play to each pepper's strengths. I agree that Chocolate Habs are a lot hotter and more savory than it's fruity relative, the Orange Hab. So, I use the Chocolates in chili and stews - I use Orange in salsas and on chicken. So, in other words, I like them BOTH lol! Now, in defense of the Orange Hab. Last summer, I found a recipe over on the Harvest forum. It's called "Habanero Gold Jelly". Now I don't like jelly, and I've never MADE jelly, but I figured 'what the hey'. So, I make this stuff - it was awesome! Everybody I gave it to thought it was awesome. This was August and the County Fair was about to start. I've never, ever entered anything to a County Fair but I figured 'what the hey'. Long story short - first place BLUE RIBBON baby!!!! And all the credit (well, most of it) goes to the lowly Orange Hab. Now Al, you said you grow mandarin tangellos. This recipe calls for dried apricots. I can see you doing a little substitution, you know what I mean lol? Anyway, that my two cents (what the hey).

"How does all this relate to the "grow box" setup which holds 4 gallons of water so that the plant always has what it needs?" This is a good question and any time someone brings up a "less water / more flavor" discussion, a question like yours comes up as does one like this "I grow my tomatoes hydroponically and they taste great". I think the limiting water discussion has a lot more to do with plants in the ground. Since water levels in the ground fluctuate a lot more than in a SWC or (obviously) hydroponic containers - I think that the plant is in a different mode of water consumption; sort of a "get it when you can" / "feast and famine" mode. So when you water the plant takes up as much as it can, probably a little more than it needs - and that may be where the watered down taste comes from. In SWCs and Hydroponic containers, the plant never feels the need to grab more water than needed since it's supply is steady as a rock... Just a theory I have, related to the watering / taste discussion.

Hi Leng Leng, I'll write you tomorrow [ok, today] with your other questions. This is what "I" have grown: >Rose Silk with Picotee Edge Variegated Leaves >Rose Silk with Picotee Edge Leaves NOT Variegated >Rose Silk with Darker Rose Star in Center with Picotee Edge Leaves NOT Variegated >Chocolate Silk with Picotee Edge Variegated Leaves >SOLID Chocolate NO PICOTEE Leaves NOT Variegated >Rose Silk with Slight Picotee Edge Leaves NOT Variegated >Rose Silk TIE DIE [Cross] NO PICOTEE Variegated Leaves Today I got another 'New' Cross that is a >VERY PALE Dusty Rose Silk NO PICOTEE Variegated Leaves [I 'think' - need to check out the leaves again] All of the above are 3" - 4" Blooms. The Rose Silks are more of a 'Dusty Rose'. Some are VERY 'Silky' - so I can see how they earned the name 'Rose Silk'. The Chocolates are a darker Color and do fit Cat's description. I had my first bloom this week of the >'SunSmile Brown', however, I didn't watch the bloom throughout the day. The bloom was under 2" - But, this was the first bloom, so that is all I have to go by. Variegated Leaves and looked just like a miniature Chocolate Silk. I have also gotten CROSSES from my Rose Silks that had 5" -6" Blooms. >Rose Silk with Picotee Edge Variegated Leaves >Rose Silk with Darker Rose Star in Center with Picotee Edge Leaves NOT Variegated >Rose Silk TIE DIE NO PICOTEE Variegated Leaves All CROSSES, and ALL EXQUISITELY BEAUTIFUL I'm sure I've left some out that I've grown, but this is what I can think of at the moment. Hope this helps, Emma

As the sugar is the preservative, I'm not surprised a low-sugar product needs to be kept in the refrigerator. You will have to either make smaller batches or forget the idea entirely IMO.