Pitelca
 

I picked 17 Pitelca peppers yesterday and was wondering why I wanted to grow them, because I generally don't grow hot peppers, and this one sure looks like a hot pepper!
So I tasted a tiny bit at the end: kind of sweet. Then I cut one open to save the seeds, tasted a bit more (nice heat), and washed my hands. A couple minutes later I brushed some hair out of my face, and apparently I touched my face near my eye with a finger -- hot!!! But it did finally go away. Now I know I need to be cautious.

I think this is the description (iirc from spacetogrow.?) that appealed to me...early and small plant.
"Pitelca (Extremely early, small paprika-type with modest heat; branches often cascade. Seed Savers Exchange got it from Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics & Crop Plant Research in Gatersleben, Germany, but I believe it originated as a Romanian heirloom.)"

Yes, capsaicin is like a wax and very difficult to wash off with conventional means. Gives you "Hunan Hands." With tender inexperienced hands this can make your fingers burn, but over time you tend to develop a relative immunity. With very hot peppers, though, you want to take precautions, e.g. gloves, dipping your fingers in oil first, or using the Secret Ninja Two-Knife technique where your fingers never touch the pod.

Oh yes, avoid having to use the bathroom, so beer contraindicated.

I must be getting immune to them I never wear gloves.
But I dont wallow my hands on the inside of the peppers either.:lol:

Worth

DM, The Man
 

[QUOTE][B][I]Secret Ninja Two-Knife technique[/I][/B][/QUOTE]

Now that you've spilled it, you're going to have to spell it out. (Be a real man and protect the everyday peeps from the deadly capsaicin.)

Those that have a ninja heart yet the tender fingers of a [I]gaijin[/I] will have divined the true nature of knife vs. pod combat. So forgive the redundancy.

You can safely handle a pod before cutting. I usually hold the pod while cutting around the calyx.

After the initial cut, and you need to cut again or seed, instead of holding the pod with your other hand, use a second small knife to pin it to the board. The rounded end of a bread knife works well for scraping the seeds out of split pods while another knife pins it.

The Technique can be awkward at first and takes more time, but it keeps your fingertips from melting. Check it out.