I have tons on cayenne peppers from the garden How do i make cayenne powder?!

I have tons on cayenne peppers from the garden How do i make cayenne powder?

I make red pepper powder out of the Japanese hot peppers I grow, and this is how I do it:

First, choose only the best peppers -- no holes, no damaged areas, completely red -- between 8 and 10 a.m. They should be dry, but not wilting in the heat already. A sunny day is best.

Thread a needle with some white cotton thread, then "sew" through the top of the pepper -- you are going to string them along like a "rista" or a string of popcorn for the Christmas tree.

Tie the thread in a loop when you've strung them (be sure to leave enough space), and hang it somewhere clean and dry with good air flow. They should be dry within a week, maybe sooner. If you dry them in the sun, they tend to lose color and flavor. I hang mine on the kitchen cupboard, where they dry well, and look decorative.

When you need some cayenne, break off a dry pepper, pop it in the blender/spice grinder, and there you go. I like to grind mine when I make my spice blend -- the flavor is fresher.

Hope that helps! Strings of peppers can look quite nice, and they do taste good!