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Old January 1, 2018   #13
bower
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
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I'm a complete newb for Mexican cooking, but I've grown all the peppers listed in the OP except for the Poblano/Ancho thanks to the generosity of a pepper collector who donated to seed swap. The different flavors of peppers were unknown to me until I started growing them myself, and it is so delightful.
Guajillo is a huge favorite for me and relatively early. The amount of heat and rich taste is just right for many things.
"Mirasol" was certainly not the same pepper. Much hotter, smaller fruit in clusters that point upwards, later to fruit and more cold sensitive, and a completely different taste. The Guajillo if it is the true one, is a long pepper that hangs down.
Puya was smaller and hotter than Guajillo, and later to fruit. It was okay but couldn't bump Guajillo from its favorite status. Just didn't have the richness of taste that G combines with heat. Nor the size and production either, at least in my climate/growing conditions.
Or maybe I'm oversensitive to heat and just can't taste the other flavors as the heat goes up?

I do love the Pasilla/Chilaca as well for the completely different flavor and wierdly pretty color as it turns from dark green to brown with real red showing only on the inside. Pretty strong flavor and a big crop relative to the amount needed - one plant provided enough peppers for several years. I thought the Guerito flavor was similar although a completely different looking pepper. We had so many that I got really tired of the taste. I know they are used for pickles, but to be honest I far prefer the taste of Santa Fe.
I don't think I could ever have too many Guajillos.
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