This is curious as wet/humid conditions tend to reduce the caps in peppers vs. dry. I'd think that if caps helped fight fungus then caps response would increase under such conditions instead of when the plant is stressed from lack of water. Al

Ya... some confusion going on it seems. Chilie is a pepper. Chili is a dish. So in a literal sense you can have chilie powder made out of dried ground peppers. Now... to make the dish most in the U.S. consider chili you have to add a spice mixture know as "chili powder". As I recall Lars has a fondness for Mexico and lives in the South Western corner of the U.S. I'm not surprised that he would think of powdered peppers before a spice mixture. One of the things really interesting about his cooking is that he is doing different things with his food. Much as I'd love to sample Lar's cooking someday I'm going with Arley on the cumin. Cumin is the heart and soul of the dish we call Chili. My pot of chili often contains several kinds of hot peppers but it also takes a load of cumin. People walking into my home will exclaim in delight when I cook chili because of the fragrant cumin. I found whizzing my whole cumin seed in the blender with some tomatoes chops the cumin up pretty good. Not as good as hand chopping. My first lesson with cumin seed was to chop it up on a cutting board with a knife. Still strikes me as the best flavor. Our friends on the CF from India have recommended toasting the cumin... very good but I'm not 100% sold. The seed does require considerable cooking to release the oils that account for the intense flavor. The very best cumin I can purchase at the moment is bulk ground cumin from GFS which is a restaurant supply company. Tops even Penzey's whole seed. Still ground does not get the full spectrum of flavor so I add mostly ground GFS cumin and top note my flavor with some freshly chopped seed. Somehow ground cumin even when fresh and strong still does not have the high aromatic essence of whole seed. Chili powder often contains garlic that I've removed from my chili. Garlic is great and garlic is good but it is also sweet and not the character I want. Maybe sometimes it is alright.... I used to add sliced fresh garlic to my chili. Goodness that warms your entire body when the mood is there for it. Cilantro, in particular fresh cilantro provides an intense aromatic flavor and scent that many associate with north of the boarder "mexican" cooking. LOL!... sorry don't mean to go on so much. Chili is one of my favorite dishes. Fresh garden tomatoes are priceless if you want chili with star power. Different peppers add heat with different characters as Lars noted. Peppers at different stages of ripeness also display remarkably different characteristics. Green habeneras are not ripe but they are milder and have more tang then mature red habs. Then the amount of time a pepper cooks will change the flavor and heat profile of a pepper. My chili is tested and approved by Luna! Suppose I should admit I don't use chili powder in my chili. Not powdered peppers or any branded spice mix. Cumin and cilantro with hot peppers being part of the vegtable mix. I top coat much of my food with salt and black pepper and always do so with chili. : ) lyra

Now I understand so many things. I know why these little bundles are a family affair on New Year's Day! Yes, Woodie, I'll say they're a lot of work...I need a Margarita. My recipe made 50, and I had some pork left over so it looks like I may be making burritos soon. (I'm not complaining.) I froze half of them without steaming, and will try freezing some of the steamed ones to see which is preferable. For some reason, I really want to add a big mess of carmelized onions to the pork mixture, but I thought I'd do it according to the recipe the first time. I did have to strain the chili sauce, so if you try these, add that as an extra step! The official taste test is tonight...

1.__________________________________________________________ Asparagus and Leek Soup Posted by: san_ (My Page) on Wed, Nov 20, 02 at 18:21 Asparagus and Leek Soup over low heat, saute: 2 finely chopped leeks in a little butter or olive oil then add: 2# chopped asparagus, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 2 C chicken broth, 1 C water when the veggies are very tender, puree them in a blender. return this to the stock pot and if you like it, stir in 1/2 C of sour cream. slowly reheat and add a little salt and pepper to taste. 2._________________________________________________________ Chilled Soup of Mixed Peas Posted by: san_ (My Page) on Wed, Nov 20, 02 at 18:21 Chilled Soup of Mixed Peas # snap peas, blanched and julienned, ¼ C butter, 2 minced shallots, 2# shelled peas, 2 C chicken stock, 2 C half and half, ½ C sour cream, lemon juice, salt & pepper, basil Melt butter in a saucepanadd shallots and sauté for a minute or two. Add peas. Reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Blend in a blender until smooth and chill thoroughly. Whisk together the half and half and sour cream and pour this into the soup. Season with a squirt or two of lemon juice, salt and pepper and add a little shredded or dried basil. Garnish with the pea pods and serve. Notes: the above is fairly thick and creamy. You can substitute no fat half and half (which is pretty high in sugars) and no-fat sour cream. The flavor is still quite good but it is a little thinner, both in consistency, as well as flavor 3.__________________________________________________________ Mom's Parsley Soup Posted by: san_ (My Page) on Wed, Nov 20, 02 at 18:21 Mom's Parsley Soup Combine and simmer for about 30 minutes: 4 C diced potatoes (3 chefs or 5 or 6 regular ones), 1 C diced onions, 1/4 C butter, 1/4 tsp curry powder, 1 T worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ C water, After cooling the above mixture a little, pour it into an osterizer, adding about 1/2 C of milk and blend until it's VERY smooth. heat in a small saucepan: 2 ½ C chopped parsley, 3 C chicken stock, (the parsely and stock can be put through an osterizer or blended with a "power stick" but i prefer to leave it with a little texture) stir the parsley/stock into the potato/stock, and season with salt and pepper. check to see if it needs thinning with a little more milk. at this point, you can chill it or reheat just to the boiling point for serving. this will serve 8 easily. 4._________________________________________________________ Wild Mushroom Soup Posted by: MQmoi (My Page) on Tue, Nov 26, 02 at 18:15 As promised, here's the Wild Mushroom Soup recipe that got raves at the Autumnfest meal. It is from The Trellis Cookbook. I made it using Chanterelle mushrooms. If you read the Chef's notes, you will get other ideas, e.g., I made part of the soup ahead of time. Wild Mushroom Soup Serves 8 1 pound shiitake mushrooms or other available fresh wild mushrooms, 6 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon water, 2 stalks celery, chopped, 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 medium carrot, chopped, 1 medium leek, white part only, chopped, 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, Salt and pepper to season, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon clarified butter, 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, 1 cup heavy cream Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Slice enough mushroom caps to make 3 cups. Reserve. Place the remaining caps and stems in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. While the stock is simmering, heat the vegetable oil and water in a 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the chopped celery, onion, carrot, and leek, along with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken and mushroom stock to the sauteed vegetables. Bring to a simmer. In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Add the flour, to make a roux, and cook until the roux bubbles, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent browning and scorching. Strain 4 cups simmering stock into the roux. Whisk vigorously until smooth, then add to the large pot with the remaining stock and vegetables. Whisk until well combined. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. (Pass the soup through a strainer if a smoother texture is desired.) Heat the clarified butter in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the reserved 3 cups sliced mushrooms and saute for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cream. As soon as this mixture is hot (do not boil), add to the pureed soup. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. (This soup may be held hot in a double boiler for up to two hours.) The Chef's Touch Because of their wide availability on a year-round basis, shiitake mushrooms have become the fresh wild mushroom of choice at The Trellis. Many other varieties of fresh wild mushrooms are also available seasonally. Some of our favorites include: oyster tree, black trumpet, white trumpet, chicken-of-the-woods, morel, porcini, and chanterelle. When fresh varieties are not available, do not hesitate to use the dried variety, especially for a soup or stew. For this recipe, rehydrate 4 ounces dried wild mushrooms in 2 quarts warm water for one hour; drain well before using. If for some reason wild mushrooms, fresh or dried, are not available, an acceptable soup can be prepared by using 1 pound cultivated white mushrooms. If the soup is not to be served within two hours, omit adding the sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, and cream. Cool the soup properly (see page 315), then cover and refrigerate for up to three days. When reheating the soup, bring to a simmer before adding the separately heated garnish of mushrooms, tomatoes, and cream. 5.__________________________________________________________ No Peek Stew Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Thu, Nov 28, 02 at 19:26 Joanne, I have never made this nor do I know who posted it first. It has been posted numerous times though. This particular version of it I copied from another website. See link below. If someone would like to take credit for it, please be my guest. LOL. Ann. No Peek Stew 2 lbs. stew meat, 1 (2.5 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained, 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix, 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup ginger ale, Throw all ingredients into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and bake at 350 degrees F. for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Do not peek. Yield: 6 servings. 6._________________________________________________________ OLd Fashioned cream of tomato soup Posted by: Linda_inTennessee (My Page) on Thu, Apr 3, 03 at 21:42 OLd Fashioned cream of tomato soup serves 10 1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup flour, 4 cups milk, 2 1/2 lbs canned diced tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups tomato juice, 1 1/2 cups prepared bloody mary mix, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups heavy cream make a roux in a large pot using butter and flour, careful not to brown. add remaining ingredients , simmer 15 minutes. garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a touch of dill 7.__________________________________________________________ WINTER VEGETABLE STEW Posted by: Teri2 on Thu, Aug 28, 03 at 15:55 This is always a hit and it's just about my favorite winter dish. It never fails to amaze people who think they don't like brussel sprouts, including me! Use the tender, young sprouts of fall and they'll just soak up the yummy liquid and taste soooo good. WINTER VEGETABLE STEW 5 T. butter, 2 med leeks, sliced thinly, 1/2 lb. boiling onions, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 t. thyme, 1 bay leaf, rosemary to taste, 1/2 lb. mushrooms, whole or halved to bite size, 1 med. turnip, 1/2 in. dice (this is essential for flavor), 1 1/4 c. dry white wine, 1 1/2 T. soy sauce, 1/2 lb. Russet potatoes, 1/2 in. dice, 1/4 lb. small brussel sprouts, 1 c. hot vegetable stock (Knorr cubes work well), 1 T. wine vinegar, 1 1/2 T. molasses, 1 1/2 t. paprika, dash of Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste Use a large, heavy pot. Saute leeks, onion, garlic and herbs in 3 T butter until leeks turn golden. Add mushrooms, turnips, wine and soy sauce. Stir and lower heat. Prepare potatoes and sprouts. Add to stew. Stir again and cover. In a small saucepan, melt 2 T butter and stir in flour. Cook the roux for a few minutes. Add hot vegetable stock and whisk to thicken. Add vinegar,molasses, paprika and Tabasco. Add to stew. Simmer stew about 1 hour. Season to taste (if at all). Serves 4-5. Teri