The fiery little Peter Pepper has long been considered too hot to eat! Native to Louisiana and Texas, this blistering capsicum forms pods which naturally and consistently contort themselves into a miniature replica of, well - take a look at its scientific name: Capsicum annuum var. annuum 'Peter' (Penis Pepper).

These interesting peppers are certainly a conversation piece for the gardener who has everything! Seeds are almost impossible to obtain, and most plants are grown from much coveted "private stock" - plants grown year after year for seeds alone.

Actually, the word pepper can be confusing here. The familiar black or white pepper is a product of Piper nigrum and that is an entirely different plant! Peter Peppers belong to the genus Capsicum. The name Capsicum comes from the Greek kapto, to bite, an allusion to the hot, biting taste of the fruits. Some capsicums are sweet, some are hot, others are mild, and they all have unique shapes and culinary uses. Famous cousins of the Peter Pepper include the tabasco pepper and the jalapeno. However, Peter Peppers are hotter than the tabasco and at least 10 times hotter than the jalapeno.

Papa Jeabert's Founder:
The founder of Papa Jeabert's, Inc., Phil Gremillion was born and raised in the heart of Cajun country - Lafayette, Louisiana, and grew Peter Peppers in his back yard from seeds given to him by his father.

Little is known about commercial cultivation of the Peter Pepper because it has always been grown as an ornamental. Papa Jeabert's was the first to grow Peter Peppers for commercial purposes. The first successful commercial field of Peter Peppers was grown by Papa Jeabert's under nursery shade cloth to protect the pepper plants from the sun.

Today the peppers are still grown under shade cloth, with the growing season lasting from late March through early October. A typical field might have 2,000 plants, set about 16 inches apart. Each Peter Pepper plant produces approximately 100 hot little peppers.

Everybody cooks in Phil Gremillion's hometown of Lafayette. In fact, the area is known for its good food and "joie de vivre" - love of life! With a bumper crop of Peter Peppers at his backdoor, Phil experimented with his own spice blend made from dried and crushed Peter Peppers. When he gave bottles of the blend to friends and relatives, they were immediately hooked on its delicious and different taste. Soon it was obvious that Phil had the seed of a hot business.

In 1995, the local press ran a story on this new business, describing Phil Gremillion as the man who tamed the hottest of the peppers.

Spice de Terre:
Spice de Terre is a completely natural, gourmet blend, containing Peter Peppers, onion, cayenne, lemon, papaya, green and red bell peppers, and only a tiny bit of salt. Perfect for all kinds of diets, the all new, certified Cajun spice blend has became a local success story.

In an interview, Gremillion said, "Working with Peter Peppers is very difficult. The pepper has an oil which is fiery hot, and touching the fresh pepper and then touching the skin can cause blistering. Crushing the dried Peter Peppers creates a fine, almost invisible, powder which burns the skin and can cause choking. I have to wear a gas mask and rubber gloves whenever I crush the Peter Peppers."

Behind the Name:
Despite the difficulty in growing and blending the Peter Peppers, Gremillion has created a whole new taste for Cajun cooks. And when it came time to give a name to this new spice company he didn't have to look very far for the right one. His son, Jeabert, is a lot like his dad - and the perfect choice for a business partner.

NOW AVAILABLE!!
Peter Pepper Seeds

Price is $5 per pack plus $1 s&h
Each pack contains 25 or more seeds
Minimum order of two packs

Papa Jeabert’s Chicken Cooker - US Patent #6192792.
Papa Jeabert’s Spice deTerre is a “Certified Cajun” food product

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