Thursday, March 13, 2008

The mysterious Peppadew

The Peppadew

There is a lot of of mystery surrounding the Peppadew pepper. I am going to do my best to delve into the known facts about it.
The Peppadew is a trademarked name for a certain preparation of slightly sweet and slightly hot pickled bright red piquanté peppers from the Limpopo province of South Africa. Although the Peppadew-type pepper is sometimes described as a cross between a pepper and a tomato, this description is not botanically accurate, and refers only to the resemblance in color and size between the peppers and cherry tomatoes. A Peppadew pepper is a particular kind of capsicum, prepared in a particular way.

A copy and paste from their site:
Just a few short years back, businessman and farmer J.S. (he prefers to stay anonymous) was looking around the garden of his holiday home in the Eastern Cape in South Africa when he spotted an unusual-looking bush, standing head high, laden with small bright red fruit which looked like something between miniature red peppers and cherry tomatoes.


Fruit being picked

Gingerly, he bit into one. It had a unique, delicious taste – a mixture of peppery and sweet, but with a distinctive flavor. Rightly believing that he had hit upon something really new, he saved seeds from the ripened fruit of the mother plant , cultivated the seedlings, developed the secret recipe with which to process the fruit and gave the processed fruit the name PEPPADEW™ (they are obviously peppery but are as sweet and tantalizing as the dew).


Fruits going through cleaning process

Worldwide research, global registration of the trademarks, international sole rights to grow the plant commercially , the establishment of commercial farms in the bountiful farmlands of the Tzaneen area and the building of a special processing, bottling and packaging factory followed and now Peppadew™ Sweet & Spicy Fruits are being savored by discerning palates around the world - from South Africa, to Britain, Europe, Canada and as far away as Australia.


You will notice in their blurb, global trademark, international sole rights to grow the plant are mentioned. I know that the growers for the Peppadew are made to sign a contract that they could face prosecution for distributing seed outside of the company. The growing fields are
actually guarded. I don't know about the rest of you, but this all out war effort to control a variety or species of open pollinated fruit or veggie, makes me crazy. ( Not talking about hybrids that seed companies come out with). The fact that this company(Peppadew International) has gone to this effort to monopolize this pepper just makes me crazy and all the more determined to lay my hands on the seeds.
The fresh pepper is never sold anywhere. The peppers are distributed around the world with the seeds removed and in a brine. (No seeds, no pepper growing). Thus far, they (PI) has been very successful in keeping the seeds out of the hands of gardeners and farmers.
The bottom line: It is extremely thug like to try to prevent any person from growing a veggie that is naturally occurring in nature. To put it in perspective, image the outrage if a global company came out and said" we own all Sugar Maple trees and no one is allowed to grow them anymore) ???
Of course with my world-wide secret seed cartel, I managed to lay my hands on the seeds. I am growing 15 plants this year and it is my goal to put these seeds in the hands of every gardener I know. I have to say, of all seeds I have ever chased after, this was by far the hardest one to obtain. I knew Gardeners all over the world that couldn't get them. I am still getting emails from total strangers that are requesting the seeds. I did share what I had so there will be other growers though only a handful.
The chef at one of the restaurants I am supplying told me he would take ALL the Peppadews I could supply him at my price. That should give you an idea.
So, in closing I say "Peppadew International, take your monopoly and shove it up your ....."

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Pepperdew Liberation Front (Bulgarian Section) sends fraternal greetings to our Capitalist Comrades in America.
There is a website in South Africa where seed is obtainable (Directly the fruit is ripe) URL will be published on this blog once the correct security work is completed.

You should also know that this pepper is being widely distributed in UK.

We thank you for your courageous work in this endevour.

PLF(BS)

Tomatoaddict said...

I might have to be rescued from a South African prison comrade. Please use all resources available to you to secure my release from Peppadew prison.

Anonymous said...

Greetings from PLF(BS)
For your followers, Comrade Tomatoaddict, here is the URL.

thechiliexchangeproject.com

Seed was available in November but was all distributed.
Richard, the webmaster is waiting for Natures next contribution to ripen.

Your concerns are noted and will be acted upon should the need arise.

Happy Jack said...

TA,
Have you ever tasted one yourself?

Unknown said...

This is insane..after 2 months of trying to get my hands of some of the mystirious pepperdew (spelling intended) seeds..i have given up..
Why..i didn't expect this to be so hard..and now it's a mission..i will have to free this plant of delicious tastes to the world..any one who can help me get theese seeds i will gladly reward..email is freepepperdews@gmail.com..if i succeed i will share the seeds as soon as mother nature will help me get them ready..

Anonymous said...

Obtained seeds from a recent trip to south africa... 20+ sprouts reaching for the sky!

Can't wait to taste them.

Anonymous said...

Whoa - they're protected? Seriously? A friend of mine has a big plant, and she gave me some, seeds and all. Growing some on my windowsill right now. Uh-oh, think I can hear choppers...

Irrepetible said...

I live in puerto Rico, I can grow tomatoes and peppers all year long. Love them!
Can someone give me an address where I can buy the Peppadew seeds, please?

Anonymous said...

Pleeease AN ADDRESS WHERE I CAN BUY OR BEG FOR THIS SEEDS!

Tomatoaddict said...

http://www.localharvest.org/store/M26862&ul

Listed under Secret S. African Pepper. Puerto Rico has the perfect climate for these. Lived in San Juan for 4 years. I miss it there.

Leon said...

Read the small print fellow commentors. It's only illegal to commercially grow them and I'm sure it's ok to distribute the seeds (especially for free/swap).

The law sucks, but they are in their own right to guard their own property from thieves and can process their product however they seem fit.

What's ironic is that the creator (the sales man) stole the original pepper from somebody's garden :D

Anonymous said...

Could you please tell me what seasons the peppadews grow in SA. I'm from Cape Town and just had a few plants come up in my back garden.+-3 weeks old.

DrThwing said...

For those of you who have grown them, are they as sweet-hot delectable as the pickled ones you can buy from South Africa?
That is, is it the Peppadew that is so tasty or the processing of it?

Anonymous said...

I'm about to pick and preserve during this week. First time I've grown them . So it seems that mid to late summer and ready for picking early to mid autumn. I have two plants and they are dripping with fruit. Contact me if you want seed. I'm in Somerset West.
Leonora

Anonymous said...

Hi Terry,#

I’m from Cape Town and my peppadew seeds has just sprouted, there will be approximately 50 plants by Feb for harvesting. I also have extra seeds if you need some. I would have to say the best time for growing them from seed is in July. It takes about 3 weeks to germinate in river sand. Also mostly afternoon sunlight. I find that their growing rate is quite slow in the beginning.

Please contact me on Email: romijnc@yahoo.co.uk

Kind Regards,

Colene

Tomatoaddict said...

Thanks for the offer Colene. I'll shoot you an email.
Terry

Anonymous said...

Hi Guys
The Peppadew company now has a new product - Sun dried raisin tomatoes.... I am looking for these seeds! Does anyone have some secret stash that they woul dbe willing to part with?

Unknown said...

I love pep areas I just bought 6 plants today and planted them. Can't wait til they are ready

Cathy Withers said...

Morning !
I have a huge peppadew plant that I bought at a local garden centre here which producing a huge amount of fruit. I was wondering when you pick yours - do you pull them when you judge them to look right, or do you wait until they come off at a light touch as you would with chillis ?
Cathy

Tomatoaddict said...

Hi Cathy,
I always pick mine when they are at least half red to full red.

Earthchild said...

Reading this post makes me SO happy! As a permaculturist I find it absolutely DISGUSTING that one company would try and monopolize a PLANT! They're just as bad as bloody Monsanto...and for that reason I was also over the moon to come across the seeds one day. My plants are about shoulder height now and they bare MASSIVE crops, of which I love to give away and spread as far as I can! Anyone interested in getting some seeds is welcome to contact me via this thread and I will contact you personally via e-mail or whatever :) VIVA SEED FREEDOM!!!!

Luvdmets said...

Earthchild, please email me so I can grow peppadew peppers. Thank you in advance!

Luvdmets said...

Pls email me for some peppadew seeds. Thank you!

Unknown said...

I would love some seeds! But I have no idea if they would grow here. I live in Utah.

Tomatoaddict said...

The Peppadew does require a very long growing season. I start mine in early February so they are quite large when I plant out. I imagine they would grow in Utah if you do the same.

Unknown said...

Seeds Please. The Cat Lady

demonprincess said...

I've been trying to grow some from seeds I got from some pods I bought (stuffed with soft cheese and packaged in oil) but I don't think they're viable. Are you still posting them out Earthchild? If so could I please request some? My email is linsey.young@live.co.uk

Dan green said...

I would love to obtain some seeds. Sholocher@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I sent for peppadew seeds on the internet, and they all grew, except the one I gave to a friend. I received 11 seeds for $5. The seeds were started on 3/17/15 in Georgia, USA, and were slow growing at first. When the hot weather hit, they really took off. The plants are very abundant, and they ripen from the bottom of the plant first. I am saving seeds for next year. I would gladly distribute them to others. Currently, I am trying to find a recipe to can the lot of them, since I have so many. The fresh taste was a real surprise, especially if you do not remove the seeds-hotter than expected, though, not excessively. Is there some way I can upload a photo of the plants?

chris browne said...

My recipe for pepper dews is 1 cup vinigar 1 cup sugar cook for aprox 10 minutes add pepper dews with tops cut off and all seeds removed ad too your brine and cook for a nother 5min

chris browne said...

I started growing pepperdews this year obout 100 plants got seeds from family farm wher there is thousands growing cant wait tonstart bottling im addicted to flavour and taste

Tomatoaddict said...

Thank you Chris Brown for the recipe!!!