Red Bonda ma Jacques Pepper Review
Last week I published a review of the more traditional Yellow Bonda ma Jacques. Today, we’ve got some notes on the Red Bonda ma Jacques. While the standard variant of this fruit has a unique shape, this red alternative is looks more like your run-of-the-mill habanero. That, however, is where the similarities end.
The exterior of the Red Bonda looks very much like any other habanero variety I have grown in the past. It’s a bit larger in size than most – some of these pods were twice as large, in fact. Once cut open, the interior is also similar with perhaps a bit more spongey placenta and seeds. It definitely appears to display a more oily inside.
The first hint that this pepper is different comes with the aroma. It’s lightly sweet and fruity with an almost berry-like quality that I particularly enjoyed. A hint of floral notes linger at the edges. It doesn’t smell much like the Yellow Bonda nor any habanero I’ve encountered in recent seasons. The flavor, likewise, is a bit different as well. A light floral trait arrives first with a small amount of bitterness, but both fade quickly allowing the fruit notes to arrive smoothly.
The Red Bonda ma Jacques presents a heat that builds swiftly from the first bite. The heat coats the tongue in a lightly stinging burn not unlike your standard habanero. It plateaus quickly and lingers there for a bit before fading slowly. The fire is manageable as it focuses on the tongue and leaves a twinge of whiskey chest with each swallow.
The look and burn of the Red Bonda is similar in scope to a habanero, but the aroma and flavor set it apart nicely. This pepper will more than likely appear on future grow lists of mine in place of any habanero I may thing of growing out. I vastly prefer its flavor and have found that it does wonderful in both hot sauce and powder form.