Lemon drop, a different kind of chilli !

From Glenn’s Peppers I got some chillies for tasting, and to see what I could come up with recipes.

I will talk about them one by one, this time the Lemon drop or in Peru called the Kellu Uchu a chilli rated at 15.000 to 30.000 Scoville units.

This first chilli growing at the plant looks like a drop indeed, with the point down. It really is a stunning looker, and haven’t tasted them yet. Having 105 varieties myself, it is stunning that other people sometimes only have sorts I don’t have. This yellow and vibrant looking chilli is really yellow, not mustard like, but bright and shining yellow.

I often have tasted yellow chillies, and most of them are said to be having a lemon taste. I don’t know why people do taste citrus, as I often don’t. It might be the suggestion of the colour that people tend to taste lemon, but it might as well be banana. Well ok as I said that I have seldom tasted any citrus in a chilli, I tried to keep an open mind to the taste and have a try.

I really have to be in the right mood to taste, as well as the time of day seems to matter. Weird enough, most tasters do it either in the morning fresh and bright, or in the evening. I tend to do it round about 3 O’clock to get the best out of it. Having said that, I also have to say that I burned off a couple of times, not being able to taste anything when dinner was served. Or when making dinner myself, not being able to taste a thing from the food I made. Sorry for strolling off, but tasting does take some time and some explaining.

The Lemon Drop; this is a vibrant yellow chilli, with a beautiful form and lovely shine. The first chillies on the plant look like your perfect water drop upside down. I would have loved to show you, but I ate it. I am so sorry. . . . .  NOT

The smell of it uncut has a bit of the smell of a tomato plant, but that could be caused by the plants growing next to them. When cutting it, a light fruity smell comes up, sort of perfume like that just teases your nose. Tasting between the seed lists it has the taste from star fruit combined with lemon! Ha Lemon, finally, it really has the taste of lemon without the sour bite. Surprising to say the least, this chilli has a very nice and fresh taste where the actual taste almost would suggest that it does have a bit of sour in it. It is sweet, hot and fruity, and is one stunning looker! This chilli is a she, female really. Not a young girl with way too much perfume you might smell in 25 meters around. No, this is a woman with good taste, she has a delicate smell and fine subtle taste, but heaven. Mind, she really has a bite as well, seducing with subtlety and good taste she will bite you at the end.

Please don’t overpower its fine and delicate taste !

Yours sincerely

Bart J. Meijer