WorldVeg takes the chili challenge!
Hot or not? Only a taste will tell…
Tasters sampled 10 salsas made from different chili combinations.
Recreation Director (and pepper breeder) Derek Barchenger provides expertise on ristra construction.
WorldVeg takes the chili challenge!
Nutritionist Ray-yu Yang knows chilies pack plenty of Vitamin C!
Evaluating the salsa samples.
Pepper breeder Sanjeet Kumar strings up a big smile!
The heat was on when World Vegetable Center headquarters staff gamely participated in the 2018 Chili Challenge on 1 February 2018. Hosted by the Pepper Breeding team and the HQ Recreation Committee, the challenge presented 10 salsas prepared with different chili peppers or combinations thereof; tasters had to match the salsa to the chili variety. Participants’ palates sizzled with varying levels of capsaicin, the compound that gives chilies their heat. To cool down, the pepper field staff showed participants how to string up a ristra — a beautiful and practical method to dry chili peppers.
Photos by Vanna Liu.
Young members of the staff participated as well.
