DRIPPING SPRINGS BABBLE: DRIPPING FOOD: PADRON PEPPERS

DRIPPING FOOD: PADRON PEPPERS

Last Friday, Marianne of Onion Creek Farm Stand fame had padron peppers for sale and, before the stand, she merely suggested we "google them". We did, and were we ever intrigued! The long and short (or hot, rather) of padrons is that most of the peppers are mild and possess a sweet, pleasant heat, but 1 out of every 5 (some say 1 out of every 10) are face-flushing, eyes-watering, nose-running, pray for mercy hot.

The peppers have remained rather unique to Spain where they are popular as a tapas, and a festival in Padron, Spain celebrating the unusual pepper is held around the first of August each year. The padrons have gained something of a cult foodie following here in the States, however remain rather difficult to find. But not in cutting culinary edge Dripping Springs, Texas!

This Babbler bought up about half of Marianne's supply at last week's stand, but not all, fortunately, because when a locally famed cook book author and food expert heard Marianne would have some of the peppers for sale, she advised a couple in Boerne who have a passion for padron since first eating them in Spain. From Boerne, a drive to Dripping is no plane to Spain, nevertheless, good thing some were left in the basket when they arrived at the farm stand.

The typical preparation of the peppers is simple — just saute in a hot pan of olive oil until the peppers are brown and blistered. Straight of the pan, while still hot, sprinkle with coarse salt. Then just settle in with an ice cold beverage at the ready and prepare to play a little Spanish roulette.

After our first encounter with a hot one, and while fervently praying for mercy, we researched the hotness on the Scoville pepper heat scale — 25,000 units. The mild padrons come in at about 500 units. As a point of reference, jalapenos range from 2,500 to 8,000 units on the Scoville scale.

If you're the type who likes the thrill of a surprise in your food — the baby in a king cake, the coin in a plum pudding — then padrons may be for you. You will certainly be in for a surprise. A very hot surprise.

We will have more information on what Marianne will have at this week's debut Dripping Springs Farmers Market in just a bit, but we can confirm now she will have more padrons!