Peppers make colorful wreaths.
The Mexican ristra is a good luck charm composed of dried peppers. Ristras can hang in a long strip or the ends can be connected to create a wreath shape. Dried pepper wreaths are useful because you can use the peppers in your cooking. They add a festive flavor to any kitchen and make wonderful homemade gifts for that personal touch. You have a wide variety of shapes and colors to choose from to construct a dried pepper wreath.
Instructions
Drying Peppers
1. Very thin-walled peppers will dry spread out on a cookie sheet.
Don plastic gloves before handling peppers. Use your paring knife to make small slits on either side of the upper third of each pepper, just under the stem. This helps air to get in and prevents mold from developing.
2. Combine red and green peppers for a festive holiday wreath.
Thread your needle with heavy-duty thread, twine or fishing line to string the peppers. Pass your needle and thread through the slits at the top of each pepper, creating a long string of them.
3. Chile peppers are a common type of pepper used in ristras.
Hang your peppers in a warm and dry place such as a corner in the kitchen or along attic rafters. Make sure there is adequate space between each pepper to allow both sides exposure to the air. The peppers may take one to two weeks to completely dry depending upon how thick the skin and wall of the pepper type may be.
Constructing the Wreath
4. Use pepper twigs and branches to construct a wreath form.
Buy a wreath ring or construct your own of branches and twigs, grapevine or straw.
5. Always wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
Attach the dried peppers to your wreath ring in one of two ways. Push your peppers tightly together on the drying string and wrap them around and around the wreath ring, adjusting the peppers so they are tightly clustered, until you've filled the entire wreath form. Use floral wire to secure the peppers as you go along. Alternatively, grip about five individual peppers at a time and bind them together with floral wire, twine or fishing line and secure each bundle to the wreath with floral wire. Use your needle-nosed pliers to weave and handle the floral wire.
6. Add a bow to your wreath for a festive touch.
Use ribbon to attach a bow and create a loop to hang your dried pepper wreath. You can make a loop out of floral wire as well.
Tags: floral wire, , peppers your, wreath ring, dried pepper