Top Billing for Rich

To say this weekend went well is a bit of an understatement!

The Little Green Man was asked by North West Fine Foods to do a spot in the Celebrity Chef's Pavillion.

Rich met Celebrity Chef Simon Rimmer at the festival..... so (fingers crossed), watch this space!

Karen from North West Fine Foods said....

"Rich really knows his stuff when it comes to chillies, and he's such a laugh - we knew he'd be great, and when Rich and Leigh got their act going, it was a knockout - can't wait to see what Rich has install for the Southport Flower Show with Brian Mellor!"

He teamed up with Celebrity (Michelin) Chef Leigh Myers and did a Ready-Steady-Cook-Type spot. Talked about chillies and their history and applications, then Rich and Leigh dove in head first....

 ... bonkers taste-testing of Scotch Bonnets and Habaneros, the audience were keen to have a lash, and we had some willing and somewhat astonished (after eating them) participants.

After regaining his breath, Leigh cooked a traditional Curried Goat (from Capra Products) with Scotch Bonnets, and followed it up with a Duck Stir Fry, and a sweet which Mary Berry had left in the oven!!

The banter between Leigh and Rich was very enjoyable, to-ing and fro-ing, when they weren't slugging back yoghurt smoothies to ease the chilli-burn.

The audience were fantastic, very amusing, chipping in and standing up to be counted, here's some feedback we received today......

The Little Green Man

Link to BBC Article

BBC FOOD AND DRINK

Richard's hot stuff! The Little Green Man tells us about his love of chillies, how he'd like to spice up Sam Allardyce and what extra hot meal he cooks up for his missus!

How did your love of chillies develop?

From my love of spicy and hot foods. It seemed like a barmy idea given the area of the country, but I decided to try and grow some. First year, I managed a couple of plants, and learnt by doing. Each year I tried a new range, and I moved from the house, to a glass greenhouse, to a polytunnel and now I’m looking again!

So, it all started as a hobby, and the quantity and varieties of chillies and chilli-products like my knowledge and experience have grown over time.  My IT skills made websites and online shopping easy and with help from the North West Fantastic Foods Partnership in developing my chilli business and profile raising, product development with other Made in Lancashire and North West Fine Foods producers - the rest is history.
You expect chillies to come from exotic locations...Lancashire doesn't quite spring to mind! How have you managed to do it in Lancashire?

It’s been an interesting journey, the truth is research, determination, trial and error. There was a time when the suggestion of chillies in Lancashire may have …erm… raised an eyebrow shall we say! But chillies are becoming more popular these days, for example varieties I’ve been growing for some time like Joe’s Long Cayenne feature in the Gardeners World Chilli Trials 2006, it keeps growing and growing, reaching up to 20-25cm in length!!

You produce some seriously hot chillies...aren't they bad for your health though?

Surprisingly, these fiery little characters can be quite good for you according to a New Medical Research Report this week, red chilli peppers don't cause stomach ulcers, as was previously believed, but can actually prevent or heal them.

In addition, Chillies are loaded with vitamin A (a potent antioxidant and boost to the immune system), green chillies contain high quantities of vitamin C which are gradually replaced during ripening with beta carotene.
Chillies are also reputed to stimulate the heart, skin, kidneys and nervous system and to act as an aphrodisiac.