Hey guys,,

Here's the question,, does anyone know where I can find jalapenos, but not the migro or coop kind (they are not hot,, and hmmm.. dont taste good). For all you Americans (dont know about other countries) you know what I'm talking about, the giardiniera they put on top of gyros, italian beef. yummmmm... (mouthwatering just thinking bout it). I can not find them anywhere. I was in Italy too, and I looked for them,, but nope, nothing there. You guys know what I mean by jalapenos the mostly come in big cans or small but all kinds of varietys in America, nothing here though. Let me know, if anyone knows where I can get them.

Thanks

I think I know what you mean - the pickled ones, right? Every Wednesday, there's a great market with lots of exotic foods, spices, etc. in the Hauptbahnhof in Zurich, including Mexican food. I'll check next week if they have them and post it here.

There is quite a lot of information about Mexican food in this thread...
Jack

Don't know about jalapenos but did you try the Antillian peppers at Coop? They have them in a special section, not with the other peppers, in very large COOPs and they are small, fresh, and MUCH hotter than any others.

but maybe not what you seek...

wow,, I didn't know they have a market like that in Zurich... If you can let me know Bartholemew,, thanks.

thank you also Jack I'll check that site too.....

and Muze7,, hmmm.... I have seen the little hot peppers but not exactly what I had in mind,,, although I do use different kinds of hot peppers now,, til I can find my Jalapenos..

thanks guys..

I checked the Zurich Hauptbahnhof market today, and the Mexican food stand has different sorts of pickled jalapenos in little cans: green, red, or sliced green ones for nachos. The market takes place every Wednesday from around noon to 8:00 p.m.

THANKKKKKKKKKKKK YOU,,

I will check that out,,, its better to buy them here than to keep bringing them from the USA.. (im my suitcase) hehehehe

1 address: "El Maíz" in Josefstrasse:
http://www.elmaiz.ch:8080/elmaiz/jsp...jsp?cat=Chiles
You can go to the shop or order online.

It's close to HB (see map under "Kontakt"), they have fresh, dried and canned jalapeños.

I know exactly what you mean. I am from Texas and have been here quite awhile and they are non-existant as far as I know. What I did was have my bro in the states seed me some fresh jalapeno seeds last winter and I am now in the process of growing my own, I know this will not solve your prolem but that is the length I've had to go to get my jalapeno fix!

Now that is funny, planting jalapeno seeds, lol, I didn't know you can do that really. Is it possible to plant them here in Switzerland? I mean, the temp, and conditions and all. I always assumed jalapenos are grown where the weather is hot all the time. I don't know where I got that assumption, but I always have just thought that. (I don't know anything about gardening, and planting and all that though). Wow, though I think its great if it works out for you. Maybe you can start selling them (to me lol) if it works out. Seriously let me know how it works out, if they grow, I think that is so awesome. I just never heard of anyone growing them before.

Val,

p.s. if it works, I guess, maybe I will give it a shot too!!!
what lengths we go to, to get "our" food, Just like the guy that went all the way to Geneva to get KFC. (I am planning on going too!!)

Yes it works! In fact I know a few guys who grow them in Germany. Most plants often live only one season though. You plan the seeds in late february - mid march.

Early March: 1, 2
Summer: 3
Result: 4 (yes, only a few chocolate habaneros - he grows a variety of chilis)

Here are two of this growers favorite websites. They're mainly German, though.
Pepperworld.com
Chiliforum.net

removed as the website does not deliver. FWIW, vix, you can delete/edit posts after 10 and one week membership (IIRC). So I've left this post for you to be nearly halfway

Well, from the four kinds of dried chilies I purchased from El Maíz for the seeds, the Chipotle and Piquin are now about 4" high, sitting on my balcony.

Unfortunately the Mulato and California didn't sprout, but hey, 2 out of 4 isn't bad for a first try.

PS for those on the lookout for fresh jalapeños (green, yellow, red): they have them too, in the fridge.

The mexgrocer website MAY bend their policy to deliver. I have dealt with them in the past however this time around I'm having problems getting a response. I'm after Nopalitos (edible cactus) which I had in a restaurant at home so I'll keep you posted if I hear back. Sorry for misleading info

On the giardinera front (ps I can NOT spell that correctly!) Coop do a "mixed pickles" product, which can be found with the olives/sundried tomatoes/artichokes section. I frequently use these in what we call "continental rolls" in Aus - ie mixed cured meats, cheese, pickled vegetables, sundried tomatoes, melanzane etc. The Coop brand pickles taste the same as the ones we can get in Aus, and include things like cauliflower, sweet peppers, carrot etc just like giardinera.

hope that helps

Vix

Nopal and fresh habaneros, right here!
http://www.elmaiz.ch:8080/elmaiz/jsp...Frischprodukte

Canned/jarred nopal:
http://www.elmaiz.ch:8080/elmaiz/jsp...Tomaten/Kaktus

You're welcome!

Guckst Du hier:
http://www.ellada.ch/Adressen/ch/geschaef.htm

There's also nice combo on Mannesseplatz (bus 33, 1st stop after Schmiede Wiedikon direction Morgental).
One corner, Maxi supermarket, owned by a Turk: loadsa fresh produce at very unswiss prices, Turkish specialties, deepfrozen meat specialties. He also carries a good variety of chilis, just ask "welche sorte ist die schärfste" (which one is hottest?). He'll just smile and let you sample/see for yourself

Opposite corner: Tamil/Indian specialty shop: spices, spices, spices!

Walk up Uetlibergstrasse (the one between the tamil shop and the Coop) for about 50m, et voilà: Ch'ai, specialty tea shop.

Chinese supermarket: between Schmiede and Bahnhof Wiedikon on Birmensdorferstrasse (you can see it from the tram). They have 15% off on Saturdays (IIRC) and canned kim chee (pickled hot cabbage) to get this post back on-topic

DIY kim chee: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes...s/kimchee.html
I like to add some fresh pressed garlic for some extra oomph

BTW, fresh jalapenos will freeze quite nicely for a rather long time without losing too much of their flavor. I slice up the jalapenos I get from El Maiz, from trips to the USA, or from visitors from the USA. I place the slices in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that bag in another. Then I take a couple of slices out when I need them.

The jalapenos do often suffer from a bit of freezer burn, but that doesn't seem to affect their flavor when used in pico di gallo or salsas.

Thanks for all you ideas,,,

I think I will try growing some,, its kind of nice to know, "I GAVE BIRTH TO THOSE PEPPERS" LOL,, well, you know what I mean. Freezing, peppers, I never knew that either. I think I will also try that too. Anyone know the name of "cilantro" in german? I have been trying to find it here in Switzerland, but I can't so thought if I had the German word it would be easier.

Thank you all for your help, and great ideas. Its weird, I thought I would get answers like "try this place, or that", which I did get those great places, but I got also ideas, to grow my own peppers, and freeze them. Which is so cool, because I never would have thought of any of those things.
Thank you!!!!!
Valerie

Cilantro: Koriander (my cilantro plants all died The pepper plants and other kitchen herbs I sowed are far more robust it seems)

http://dict.leo.org/ende?lang=en&lp=ende&search=cilantro
(bookmark dict.leo.org!)

You're welcome!

BTW, you can find fresh Koriander in most medium or larger sized grocery stores. They often run out if you don't get it early enough in my local COOP.