Dip season is upon us and there is no way to escape it. So whether you are taking a dip in the pool, being dipped by your dance partner, or at a picnic surrounded by a smorgasbord of dips (the food kinds, of course), you may as well embrace summer as the official dip season.
As a child I was quite fond of dip season. That of course was before I found out I’m allergic to the great outdoors, developed cellulitis, and discovered that I cannot keep up with Sous Chef on the dance floor. As an adult I’ve grown to dislike most things associated with “dip season” (except for the obligatory dip in the pool). Potlucks and picnics are two of my most feared social invitations since germs and food-borne illness are just waiting to come home with me from these events.
As we live in Hell during the summer, an indoor picnic is pretty much our only picnic option. Our dip repertoire is generally rather pedestrian. Guacamole, salsa, and hummus are standard fare. Sous Chef adores crudité and Trader Joe’s Tzatziki and Hidden Valley’s Ranch Dressing make suitable dips for all things vegetable. But with summer upon us, I decided it was time to expand our dip options in hope of finding something unique and exciting. Incredibly, my search extended only so far as Siba’s Table on The Cooking Channel. Like manna from heaven, Siba dropped a Peppadew Dip recipe on me during a recent show. If you are not familiar with Peppadew, it is the brand name for a sweet/spicy red pepper that originated in South Africa and was “discovered” in the early 90’s. It is about the size of a small cherry tomato and generally comes hulled, seeded, and pickled in brine and ready to be stuffed, sliced, diced, or eaten as is. Fortunately for us, markets like Bristol Farms and Jensen’s here in the desert have them in plastic containers, which makes it seem these might be fresher than those found in bottles.
Siba made her Peppadew Dip with mayonnaise. While her dip was interesting, flavorful, and showed real promise for a variety of uses, we each found the result to be a little cloyingly sweet for our palate as a crudité dip. Don’t get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing amiss with Siba’s Peppadew Dip and I might use it as a dip for fried fish, as in fish and chips. Maybe South African mayonnaise has a different flavor than what I buy here, or maybe South Africans like their dips sweeter than I do. Regardless, the Peppadew’s sweet/spicy heat seemed a natural complement to most crudité, so I played around with Siba’s concept, experimenting with different bases. Crème’ Fraiche, Greek Yogurt, and Light Sour Cream added the extra bite that I was looking for. Ultimately, the Light Sour Cream was my favorite base and the dip reached perfection when I increased the recipe’s amount of Peppadew and cilantro and added a soupçon of Hungarian Hot Paprika.
This is one dip you can really sink your veggies and chips into. It can be whipped up in five minutes and served to family and uninvited guests as an impromptu appetizer. Don’t be surprised if your friends and family start referring to you as the “Dip Master” and request your special dip for their events.
A special thanks to Jane of Jane’s Adventures In Dinner for hosting this week’s Sunday Supper Picnic Edition.
Beverages
- Orange Blossom Iced Tea by girlichef
- Red, White, and Blue Sangria by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Rosemary Nectarine Sparkling Cocktail by Food Lust People Love
- Best #SundaySupper Picnic Wines by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Appetizers
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups by Daily Dish Recipes
- Meyer Lemon Hummus by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Peppadew Dip by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Savory Red, White, and Bleu Truffles by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Mains
- Asparagus and Cheddar Quiche by Mess Makes Food
- London Broil with Caramelized Red Onions by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Stilton Potato and Leek Pie by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Waffle Batter Fried Chicken Tenders with Maple Syrup Dipping Sauce by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Sides
- Mushroom and Gruyere Cheesecake by Peaceful Cooking
- Scotch Eggs by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Salads
- Caprese Pasta Salad by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Farro & Walnut Salad by Foxes Love Lemons
- Gluten Free Potato Salad by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Japanese Noodle Salad by Noshing With The Nolands
- Kale-Quinoa Tabouli Salad by Healthy. Delicious.
- Layered Chicken Salad by Nosh My Way
- Lightened Up Macaroni Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Loaded Potato Salad by Granny’s Down Home Sassy Southern Cooking
- Melon and Prosciutto Arugula Salad by Simply Healthy Family
- Mexican 3 Bean Salad by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Old Fashioned Potato Salad by Life Tastes Good
- Orzo Salad with Kale Pesto by Cooking Chat
- Pizza Pasta Salad by Curious Cuisiniere
- Red, White and Blue Fruit and Cheese Salad by Shockingly Delicious
- Tomato Bean Salad by Family Foodie
- Tortellini Fruit Salad by Jelly Toast
- Tuna Noodle Salad by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
- Vegetable Salad by Magnolia Days
- Veggie Pasta Salad by Pescetarian Journal
- Watermelon and Feta Salad with Verjus Splash by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Sandwiches and Wraps
- Pan Bagnat by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Panino con la Salamella by Manu’s Menu
- Roast Beef Wraps by Cookin’ Mimi
Sweets
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Berry Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups {#glutenfree option} by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Cherry Chip Blossom Cupcakes by NinjaBaking.com
- Cherry Pie Crumb Bars by The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen
- Chocolate Chunk Brownies by What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Syrup Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Cookie Cup Fruit Tarts by Alida’s Kitchen
- Flag Cake by Pies and Plots
- Gluten Free Strawberry Banana Muffins by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies by Feed Me, Seymour
- Red, White, and Blue Berry Angel Food Cake Parfaits by Neighborfood
- S’mores Crumb Bars by The Redhead Baker
- Stained Glass Jello with Coconut Milk Panna Cotta by Simply Gourmet
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- 1 cup sour cream
- 16 diced peppadews
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Hot Hungarian Paprika (if you can handle a little heat go for ½ teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- juice of 1 lime
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Chill and serve with fresh vegetables, chips or pita bread.
I had to giggle at your ant friend who joined the party! Your dip looks amazing, Christy, and perfect for any summer party. Yeah, if I lived in the desert, I’d do my picnicking indoors, too 🙂
Fab Dip!
I am glad to hear that you make the best out of a tough situation. I want to go a dip party now and the highlight will be the papadew dip. Thanks for sharing your story and your recipe.
Love this interesting and different dip. I could eat dip all day long and it is perfect for a picnic!!
That dip looks delicious, and I love your old photo!
Yum! I love peppadew peppers! This dip sounds amazing!!
My parents lived in Tucson, Arizona, and totally get the indoor picnics – unless we wanted to have it at 4am, of course. Your dip looks really good. A great balance of sweet and heat 🙂
Sounds like a tasty veggie dip which is perfect for a picnic!
I am definitely a dip girl! Guacamole, salsa, and hummus are staples in my diet 🙂 This sounds pretty tasty though, mixing sweet and spicy is a great way to go
Yep. Not surprised by the strong flavors in the Peppadew. Smaller peppers tend to be much more concentrated.
This dip sounds delish, Christy! Living in FL, I can relate to enjoying picnics indoors!
i adore peppadews. Never considered in a dip. The sweet/savory thing must be amazing! Thanks for sharing!
I also love dip season! It’s probably my favorite. This dip looks especially delicious!
Yum! Now I just have to find peppadews!
Nice twist on the original mayonnaise laden dish! It sounds yummy and you can never have too many dip varieties! HUGS
Such an interesting and fun dip! Perfect for a picnic!
Very different! I love that little ant too!
I love dips…and I learned something today….I have never heard of peppadews! (I had to google them). Now I MUST find some so I can give them a try
Perfect yummy for a picnic! Thanks for stopping by Granny’s Down Home Sassy Southern Cooking and your thoughtful comment.
Debra
I also was a dipper growing up. Your dip looks great.
I don’t cook with peppadews often, but I do love the flavor of them. Thanks for this great dip idea!
Thank you for the intro to peppadaws…Next time I’m in Bristol Farms I’ll have to check them out…Hope you are having a Happy (cool indoor picnic) 4th of July =)
What a delicious looking dip. I am new to peppadaws also. I’ll have to keep a look-out for them. I also love your food styling in the photo. Very nice!
Alaiyo