Growers

From the first burst of colour on the trellis to the gentle sizzle in the pan, NSW producer Tony Catanzariti loves every stage in the life of his Vine Sweet Minicaps® baby capsicums.

I absolutely love them. I love the way they grow, their magnificent glossy colours, and the way they taste – so sweet and delicious.    

From the first burst of colour on the trellis to the gentle sizzle in the pan, New South Wales producer Tony Catanzariti loves every stage in the life of his Vine Sweet Minicaps® baby capsicums.

Tony and his brother Frank have been producing the tri-coloured crunchy specialty baby capsicums for Perfection Fresh at Nericon, outside Griffith since 2003. For Tony, the allure has never waned.

"I absolutely love them. I love the way they grow, their magnificent glossy colours, and the way they taste - so sweet and delicious," Tony says.

He even forgives them for their finicky growth habits.

"They are not the easiest crop to grow as they need constant attention like any baby but we're always rewarded with a beautiful crop."

Tony's Vine Sweet Minicaps® are grown on trellises in shadehouses - a set-up unique to capsicum production.

"The trellises direct more sunlight to the plants and make it easier for us to pick while the shadehouses protect them from wind, sun and insect damage."

The plants grow up to two metres in eight months and ripen from the bottom, each producing red, orange or yellow fruit. When the fruit is exactly the right hue, it's time to start gently plucking the fruit off by hand, a process which can take up to 18 weeks.

Tony produces about 60,000 kilograms of baby capsicums between January and June.

Serving Suggestion

Fry some chopped bacon, mushrooms, spring onions and worcestershire sauce, cut the bottoms off the Minicaps® and stuff. Scatter with cheese, lightly grill and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic and garnish with coriander.