Chiles in the news

[Jenise]

We all know what a difference cool vs. warm climate makes in the flavor of chiles. Well, what about no climate?

"They have a nice spiciness to them, a little bit of a lingering burn" said astronaut Megan McArthur of the first chili peppers grown in space.

But will it be enough to put the 'force' in the Space Force?

The chile grown was the NuMex ‘Española Improved,’ a hybridization between ‘Hatch Sandia’ and the traditional Española Valley native type peppers of northern New Mexico and was developed in 1984. It's a good looking chile 1.25 in. x 4.5 in. and turns from greed to a bright red when mature. It matures faster because it's from northern New Mexico, which has a shorter growing season. Dave Dewitt's book, Peppers of the World, says it has a medium pungency.

Finally, a reason to put gloppy cheese all over nachos... to hold them down in zero G.