07-08-2008, 04:34 PM
Following its outstanding success last year, 2008 will see the return of Felbrigg Hall’s Chilli Fiesta and summer fete, in what is hotting up to be the highlight event for the property this summer.
![[Image: FelbriggHall.350.jpg]](http://www.food-e-matters.com/images/FelbriggHall.350.jpg)
Whether you’re a hardened chilli-head or a newcomer to the world of the chilli, this is your chance to join in the chilli madness! Felbrigg Hall’s Chilli Fiesta will be held on Wednesday 6 August and visitors will find a whole host of chilli paraphernalia waiting for them to try and take home, not to mention a wealth of local delights to choose from.
Following its success last year, interest has been sparked in the local food community and this year will see more than double the number of stalls. From seeds to plants, pickles and preserves, chutneys and cheeses, hot sauces and award winning pepper jellies - Felbrigg will have it all this August!
Companies from around East Anglia and the Home Counties have booked their pitches, including Chilli’s Galore, Completely Chilli, Edible Ornamentals, Munchy Seeds, Jazz It Up Foods, Horned Fox, Gourmet Med, Ferndale Norfolk Cheeses, Norfolk Rustic Crafts, Groveland Fruit Farm, Bray's Cottage Pork Pies, Fayre Maiden Wines, Mushroom Moments, and Bhajiman. Not forgetting Jules and Sharpie with their award winning preserves and Essence Foods, who one best retail product at last year’s EDP Norfolk Food Awards.
The chilli pepper is proving to be very popular with modern society and today it is one of the most widely cultivated crops. Tina Hammond, Head Gardener at Felbrigg Hall has been growing chilli peppers at the property for 8 years; “Chilli peppers will grow in similar conditions to tomato plants, although often to get better results they should be grown in higher temperatures and humidity. We grow ours here at Felbrigg in the “Pit House†in the walled garden, although it is possible to cultivate them outdoors in sheltered areas that receive plenty of sunlight.â€
“The best time to harvest your chilli peppers is when the pods feel firm and look fairly glossy, if they are still soft to the touch then that means that they are still immature. I would recommend that you keep back a couple of ripe chillis, dry them off, collect their seeds and store them in a dry cool dark place for next years crop. The best time to sow is February, either indoors or under glass, sowing early gets the plants off to a good start for earlier fruiting †Tina reveals.
There are hundreds of varieties of chilli plants and there heat level varies dramatically. At Felbrigg, you will find jalapenos – nicely piquant, the best all round culinary variety, plus a selection of extremely hot and decorative fruits. Whatever there shape or size, chilli peppers are thought to be really healthy for you. Green chillis are a great example, high in vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system); green chillis contain almost twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits.
So for the chilli lovers amongst you, head on down to the National Trust’s Felbrigg Hall and explore the diverse world of the chilli and the best of regional food this August - not to mention all of the fun of a traditional fete, with its games of skill and chance.
:chef:
Whether you’re a hardened chilli-head or a newcomer to the world of the chilli, this is your chance to join in the chilli madness! Felbrigg Hall’s Chilli Fiesta will be held on Wednesday 6 August and visitors will find a whole host of chilli paraphernalia waiting for them to try and take home, not to mention a wealth of local delights to choose from.
Following its success last year, interest has been sparked in the local food community and this year will see more than double the number of stalls. From seeds to plants, pickles and preserves, chutneys and cheeses, hot sauces and award winning pepper jellies - Felbrigg will have it all this August!
Companies from around East Anglia and the Home Counties have booked their pitches, including Chilli’s Galore, Completely Chilli, Edible Ornamentals, Munchy Seeds, Jazz It Up Foods, Horned Fox, Gourmet Med, Ferndale Norfolk Cheeses, Norfolk Rustic Crafts, Groveland Fruit Farm, Bray's Cottage Pork Pies, Fayre Maiden Wines, Mushroom Moments, and Bhajiman. Not forgetting Jules and Sharpie with their award winning preserves and Essence Foods, who one best retail product at last year’s EDP Norfolk Food Awards.
The chilli pepper is proving to be very popular with modern society and today it is one of the most widely cultivated crops. Tina Hammond, Head Gardener at Felbrigg Hall has been growing chilli peppers at the property for 8 years; “Chilli peppers will grow in similar conditions to tomato plants, although often to get better results they should be grown in higher temperatures and humidity. We grow ours here at Felbrigg in the “Pit House†in the walled garden, although it is possible to cultivate them outdoors in sheltered areas that receive plenty of sunlight.â€
“The best time to harvest your chilli peppers is when the pods feel firm and look fairly glossy, if they are still soft to the touch then that means that they are still immature. I would recommend that you keep back a couple of ripe chillis, dry them off, collect their seeds and store them in a dry cool dark place for next years crop. The best time to sow is February, either indoors or under glass, sowing early gets the plants off to a good start for earlier fruiting †Tina reveals.
There are hundreds of varieties of chilli plants and there heat level varies dramatically. At Felbrigg, you will find jalapenos – nicely piquant, the best all round culinary variety, plus a selection of extremely hot and decorative fruits. Whatever there shape or size, chilli peppers are thought to be really healthy for you. Green chillis are a great example, high in vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system); green chillis contain almost twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits.
So for the chilli lovers amongst you, head on down to the National Trust’s Felbrigg Hall and explore the diverse world of the chilli and the best of regional food this August - not to mention all of the fun of a traditional fete, with its games of skill and chance.
:chef: