BISHOP'S CROWN

The Bishop's Crown is one of the varieties of chillies belonging to the category of "capsicum baccatum", that is to say plants with medium-spicy fruits, but very fleshy and excellent for various uses. Its origins are from South America, where the varieties are called Aji; after being imported into Europe, its current name is given by its "bell shape".

DIRECTORY:

PLANT
CHARACTERISTICS
FRUIT
FARMING
STORAGE
OUR PRODUCTS

PLANT

This beautiful and unique plant, with its above-average size, imposing bust and large leaves, is also characterized by white corolla flowers, with yellow and green spots, which make it imposing and very decorative. Once we have developed the fruit, we notice its singularity, in fact it has a bell with three lateral protuberances at the height of the petiole and a single internal one.

CHARACTERISTICS

It is a very strong plant that resists even at low temperatures and can bear even the heat up to 35C°. It loves sun exposure and the ground must not too wet. It grows up to 160cm in a pot and 250cm in height when planted on the ground and produces large fleshy fruits.

FRUIT

The Bishop's Crown has a rather fruity taste and it ranks in a low position the Scoville scale with just 10,000 SHU, as it is not too spicy if eaten raw. We also remind you that its spiciness increases considerably if it is consumed hot and if the water supply is reduced near maturation and then suspended altogether one week before harvesting. This expedient allows the plant itself, in a completely natural way, to produce more capsaicin alkaloids, the element that allows the increase in the spiciness of the chili pepper.

FARMING

The best time for sowing it is between March and April, with springtime and warm weather, to then have an excellent harvest in the period of July - August when it reaches perfect ripeness and the typical bright red color. To speed up the farming and to have a better harvest, it is possible to make the seeds sprout indoor in February, so as to have around March-April a seedling large enough to be able to stand out and grow much earlier, anticipating the final results. The sowing phase is very important: it is necessary to be careful to use a well-fertilized and dig soil so to improve the quality of farming. If the temperature is too low, it is advisable to start by placing the seeds in jars with a good hot-humid soil where they will be kept under a protective covering until the first sprouting. The small seedlings, once checked, can now be planted on the ground or potted. For domestic farming it is advisable to use plastic jars that are better able to keep the humidity level high. The peppers suffer a lot from the excess of water, but if only one irrigation a day is not enough, you can employ a saucer to avoid the plant from suffering if placed in a dry condition. Upon reaching maturity, the Bishop Crown, now of a beautiful red color, can be collected and used in various ways. To learn more about the cultivation of this variety, simply read the following guide: how to grow chilli.

STORAGE

The most classic method of preservation is certainly the drying which consists in dehydrating the fruit while maintaining its spiciness and organoleptic properties. They can be laid on a thick net in the sun for about ten hours, or put in the oven at 45 ° for about seven hours with the slightly open door that will allow excess humidity to come out. You can also keep your peppers by freezing both whole and blended, or making a jam to go with cheese and bread. Whole recipe books deal with the use of chilli in the cooking in all its forms whether it is dried, stuffed or served fresh in salads. One interesting combination is the one with the Bishop's Crown and Tropea onion. Once the Tropea onion and the Bishop's Crown have been washed, dried and minced, they are stewed in a covered pan with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat for about ten minutes, salt it lightly halfway through cooking. Once the cooking is finished, the mixture is whisked until it becomes a creamy and homogeneous sauce that can be used as a condiment for pasta, meat or bruschetta. For more information you can read the following guide: How to store the chilli.