Chilli Features

stories & spice worldwide

Halfway through the year feels like the right time to say thank you. Every order and message keeps World of Chillies thriving — without you, there’d be no wild mix of varieties filling the greenhouse.
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Each winter I sow early batches to check seed quality. From these tests come a handful of extra-strong plugs — the first chillies of the year, grown under light and ready to go.
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Pickled chillies bring harmony to any meal — tangy, bright and just a bit cheeky. A few scattered over cheese or salad can turn the ordinary into something joyful.
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Few creatures strike fear like a slug at midnight. They glide in silently, devour tender shoots, and vanish by morning — the gardener’s ultimate nemesis.
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Once your plants toughen up, slugs lose interest. Until then, a few clever tricks and barriers can keep your chilli patch safe and slug-free.
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Slugs are stranger than they look — they can stretch, regrow, and even eat their own slime. Love them or loathe them, they’re marvels of survival.
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This summer swung from scorching sun to soggy rain, yet a few tomato varieties rose above it all. These are the ones that truly earned their place.
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Nothing beats a sun-warmed tomato straight from the vine. Easy to grow, full of flavour, and miles better than anything from the supermarket.
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May always catches me out, and my chillies have been waiting patiently for bigger pots. A quick refresh with fresh compost and space to stretch, and they’ll bounce back fast.
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Tomatoes are my summer indulgence — sweet, reliable, and easy to grow alongside the chillies. I’ve chosen a few standouts for flavour, yield and that just-picked taste.
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Last summer I broke my own rule and let herbs share the greenhouse with chillies. The scent of basil and lemon verbena filled the air — a decision I don’t regret.
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This summer’s weather was wild, but a few tomato varieties still came through. Blight, rain and all — these were the ones worth saving seed from.
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Cold snaps, heatwaves and storms tested everything this year. Yet a few chillies thrived, proving again that resilience grows best in the heat.
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By December my greenhouse was still alive with flowering chillies. Against all odds, they kept going — a last blaze of colour to end the year.
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The weather had its moments, but the chillies didn’t seem to mind. Growing them became a small daily joy — calm, colourful and full of surprises.
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The superhots once ruled, but the cooks’ chillies now steal the show. Flavour has overtaken fire, and I’m more than happy with that shift.
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As the last warm days fade, I’m still making the most of them. The greenhouse stayed steady all summer, and the plants loved every minute.
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Fourteen varieties, all wildly different, all delicious. From dark cherries to golden bursts, these tomatoes turned simple salads into something special.
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Nothing says summer like the first plate of fried Pimiento de Padrons. Mild, buttery and just a bit unpredictable — the taste of sunshine itself.
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Cheiro Roxa wins for beauty alone — purple stems, lilac flowers and fruit that blush from green to violet. Modest heat, super flavour.
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This year’s chillies were a revelation — some fiery, some subtle, all full of character. Over the next few months, I’ll share my standouts.
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Two golden treasures from the Andes — Lemon Aji and Havana Gold — lighting up the garden with their fruity sparkle and sun-kissed flavour.
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Three wild hybrids that shouldn’t work but do. Bold, beautiful and slightly unruly — proof that a little mischief goes a long way.
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Think you know your chillies? From smoky chipotles to fiery scorpions, this quiz will test just how hot your knowledge really is.
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A challenge for true chilli spotters — from ancient legends to modern marvels. Can you pick the pepper from its picture?
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Three wild hybrids that shouldn’t work but do. Bold, beautiful and slightly unruly — proof that a little mischief goes a long way.
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Every season has its heroes. From fierce scorpions to sweet shishitos, these are the chillies that truly earned their place.
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A playful quiz on the stranger side of chilli history — from space travel to ancient remedies. Curiosity has never been so spicy.
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Chillies have cured, punished and delighted through the ages. This quiz explores the fine line between medicine and madness.
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It’s been a season worth sharing — my first video update covers the highlights, surprises and what’s coming next.
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Raging Bull started as an experiment and became a favourite. Big, bold and full of flavour — a reminder that small indulgences pay off.
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Chillies don’t need recipes. A slice over eggs or a dash on fruit can transform a meal — proof that simple heat works wonders.
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Not all tomatoes are background extras. Some insist on being noticed… San Marzano, Tutti Frutti, Yellow Tumbling Tom and Bumblebee. Great looking Tomatoes with great stories to tell.
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So here we are again: another Christmas quiz. You've survived the emails, the music, the forced cheer — one more indignity won't hurt. Read the full story ->

Every year a few chillies stand out — some for their flavour, some for their looks, and some simply because they made me smile whenever I passed them.
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Every year, I make it a point to batch test the seeds I plan to grow. They’re large, healthy, and vibrantly green, giving you a head start on the season.
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At World of Chillies, the job has always been the same: to showcase the best chillies from around the world. Meet three new chillies.
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Upright structure, moderate leaf area and lighter pods make these plants well suited to confined root space.
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How forest berries became the Caribbean’s most famous chillies; the domesticated chinense chilli of the Caribbean and the Yucatan.
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At World of Chillies, the job has always been the same: to showcase the best chillies from around the world. Meet three new chillies.
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There’s a moment every season when the chinense chillies start to ripen properly. Usually it happens on a warm afternoon when the air is still and heavy.
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Some chillies don’t just sit there — they give themselves away in the shape. The folds, the tension, the way the fruit has been pulled into something beyond its natural form.
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