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Hot peppers, chili culture, and spicy food
Your guide to growing, cooking, and enjoying hot peppers.
Variety profiles, growing tips, hot sauce reviews, and recipes for anyone who likes their food with heat. No gatekeeping, just good peppers.
What we cover
- Chili variety profiles and heat ratings
- Growing guides for all climates
- Hot sauce reviews and comparisons
- Spicy recipes and cooking techniques
What you can expect
- Honest reviews from a real grower
- Practical advice that works in Australian conditions
- Heat level context (not just Scoville bragging)
- Content for beginners and seasoned chili heads alike
Latest posts
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Best Chilli Seed Companies in Australia Mid-2026: Honest Reviews From a Long-Term Buyer
An honest review of the Australian chilli seed companies in 2026 — who has the genetics, who has the germination reliability, and where the value sits.
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Trinidad Scorpion Winter Growing Tips: Keeping Super-Hot Chillies Alive Through Australian Cool Months
Practical advice for keeping Trinidad Scorpion and other super-hot chilli plants alive through Australian winters — what works in different climates and what doesn't.
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When the App Says It's a Jalapeño but You Planted a Habanero: AI Plant ID for Chili Growers
Marco tests phone-based plant identification apps on his Sydney chili patch and shares what works, what doesn't, and where AI is genuinely useful for growers.
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Making Aji Amarillo Paste From Scratch: A Sydney Grower's Method
Marco walks through turning fresh Aji Amarillo pods into the bright golden paste at the heart of Peruvian cooking, with tips for substitutions when you can't find the fresh chili.
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Cooler-Month Chilli Care: Keeping Plants Alive Through Australian Winter
What to actually do with your chilli plants through the cooler Australian months — overwintering, pruning, and getting plants ready for spring.
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Fermenting Hot Sauce: Troubleshooting What Goes Wrong
An honest guide to the things that go wrong when you ferment hot sauce at home and what to actually do about them — based on years of getting it wrong.
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Hot Sauce Fermentation — Late Autumn 2026 Workshop Notes
Notes from a late-autumn batch of fermented hot sauce, with specific quantities, timings, and what I learned this time.
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Late Autumn Chili Garden Tasks — Sydney May 2026
A practical guide to what to do in your Sydney chili garden through late autumn 2026 to set up for spring.
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Chilli Pepper Genetics for Australian Growers in Mid-2026 — A Working Note
A working note for Australian chilli growers in May 2026 on pepper genetics, seed source choices, and stability for backyard production.
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Hot Sauce Shelf Life and Stability — A Practical Home-Maker Guide in 2026
A practical home-maker guide to hot sauce shelf life, stability, and safety in May 2026, with notes on fermented and vinegar-based sauces.
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Overwintering Chilli Plants in Australia — A May 2026 Practical Guide
Mid-May is the right time to set up overwintering for chilli plants in southern Australia. Here is what works and what does not.
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Fermenting Hot Sauce in Australian Conditions — May 2026 Practitioner Notes
Lacto-fermented hot sauce works in Australian autumn temperatures with a few adjustments. Here is the May 2026 read on technique.
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Chilli Seed Starting in Autumn: An Australian 2026 Guide
Autumn seed starting for the next chilli season. What goes in the heated propagator now and what waits.
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Fermenting Hot Sauce in the Australian Climate: A Practical Guide
Lacto-fermentation for hot sauce in an Australian backyard. Temperature, timing, and the mistakes I made early on.
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Fermented Hot Sauce Shelf Stability: A Backyard Saucier's Notes
Fermented hot sauce is forgiving until it is not. After ruining a few batches, here is what I have learned about shelf stability in Australian conditions.