A hot date for chilli lovers

Everyone was feeling hot, hot, hot at the Victoriana Nursery Gardens Chilli Festival in Challock at the weekend.

And with the glorious sunshine there was more heat around than usual for the opening weekend of October.

More than 120 varieties all grown and sold at the nursery in Buck Street were on display along with several stalls which all use the peppers in some way -– including in chocolate, curries and other dishes.

Serena Shirley, who runs the nursery with her husband Stephen, said: “It went really well and saw lots of people tasting and we managed to raise some money for the RNLI and Mission for Seafarers.

“I think all in all we raised about £175.

“We don’t have any problems growing them and grow them in a polytunnel so they need a bit of extra heat.”

There were chillies that people could try on their own if they were brave enough.

Ranging from the mildest through to the hottest on show, the Trinidad Morugu Scorpion and Carolina Reaper rank at around two million on the Scov- ille scale. In comparison the Scotch bonnet sits at a paltry 100,000 to 350,000 on the scale which measures pungency or hotness.

Serena added: “We were encouraging people to stay down on the mild to start off with. We did actually make one man cry bless him.”

The festival returns next year.

FM4044014/FM4044019 Owner Stephen Shirley shows visitors Caroline Owen and Howard Mason his Hungarian yellow wax chillies and right; John McLaughline shows off his produce

Pictures: Paul Amos FM4044018 Buy pictures from kentonline.co.uk Milly and Serena Shirley try Anjula Devi’s chilli dish

FM4044024/FM4044026 Molly Shirley, 12, with her chilli shaped balloons and right; visitors check out the variety of produce on offer