THE CHILLI plant that my husband bought from Joy Michaud at the Melplash Show was the best thing we have bought at a food show, ever. I didn’t even particularly like chillies when I met my husband but he cooks with it quite a lot and my palate has evolved over the years. I suppose I can stand the heat now, a little bit anyway.

Anyway, picture the scene… That plant stands on our kitchen table – the sunniest spot in the house – from Summer all the way in to November. The leaves are pretty enough and the dainty white flowers are cute. But the best part is obviously the fruit. The tiny, pale green, tear shape that quickly grows and turns purple, white, yellow, orange and red. By the end of Summer you have a display of dozens of amazing colourful fruits from a fairly small potted plant. At £5 a pot, talk of great value.

What about the taste though? One of the best we have ever come across. Its flavour is unique and reasonably hot but without scorching or numbing your mouth. We all looked after the plant, kids were checking colour progress, we counted, watered, picked and ate different colours to check the difference, we cooked, froze and dried. Do you get as much fun from a small bunch of flowers?

The Michauds had an open day this week prior to the Bridport Food Festival so I visited with strict instructions from the husband. He’d look after the kids but I had to bring back a new plant. We were sad that our first one did not survive the winter. Probably, it  did not like being relegated to the toilet having been the centre of attention for so long.

I now know that we had been smitten by a NuMex Twilight.

The Michauds are one of these inspiring couples that you could spend hours chatting to. In fact I did. What a fascinating set up they have in West Bexington. They sell chillies, chilli plants and seeds. Anything they sell they have tried several times. The seeds are planted in different conditions, the vegetables from the seeds are tested and they have to come up to the expectations of the Michauds’ palates.

The afternoon was particularly hot and believe me, walking around the poly tunnels, I am glad I do not spend every day in there. When I entered the Dorset Naga tunnel, I thought I might faint and I had to walk back out. The heat was unbelievable. It figures that this is one of the hottest chillies in the world! I don’t know that I’ll ever pluck up the courage to taste this Dorset wonder.

The Michauds will be among many exhibitors at Bridport Food Festival this Saturday, June 19. If you cannot get there, you can buy their seeds by post.

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