A CELEBRATION of all things hot and spicy drew in the crowds at the very first Great Dorset Chilli Festival at the weekend.
It was a battle of the tastebuds as visitors queued up at Kingston Lacy to take part in the chilli eating competition, working their way up the Scoville Scale of Chilli Pepper Heat from mild to fiery.
The brave contestants had to eat the entire chilli, including the flesh, membrane and seeds, with the winner earning a specially developed Festival Sauce featuring the super hot Dorset Naga chilli. Organiser Miles Halton said: “The festival has been so well received. People are lying on the grass enjoying cider and the trade stands are packed with people buying everything from chilli seeds to plants.
“The chilli eating went down a storm.”
Experts gave talks on growing and cooking chillies.
