I've just used needle and fishing line (clear plastic so it doesn't show). Run needle thru top of pepper or thru center, depending on your preference. Hang in warm dry airy place to dry. josh

it's easiest to do when they're at the 'leathery' phase- not fresh, but not crunchk, either. and it really is just like stringing popcorn- but if they're hot peppers, wearing gloves and remembering not to rub your eyes does matter!

Do you mean a Rista? Martha Stewart has step by step instructions on her web site

A search at that website didnt turn up anything. Nothing for Rista, nothing for chilies except an unrelated recipe. Please advise.

Well, i can tell you how i used to do them. worked at a fruit stand- i'd use the same chiles they put out for folks to buy in bulk. Same process, for all the different size chiles.

Start w/ some type of rustic looking string- we used cheapie stuff from walmart, but make sure it's not the thin kind of string- needs to be kinda thick.

Sit down w/ your box of chiles and a bag of those small rubber bands. Rubber band together 3-6 (depending on size of the chiles) peppers. When you think you have enough bunches, hang your string up on something- it needs to just hang down, then you'll form a loop at the bottom- then you put a bunch or 2 in- use the loose string to hold the chiles to the string. Then stack the next bundle of chiles on, and keep tying. on and on, till you're happy with it. Make sure you do it pretty thick, cuz as the peppers dry, they'll shrink up some, and loose some of their width (anotehr reason to use the rustic looking string- you may see some string after hte peppers dry completely). Top with some of that raffia, and you're done.

HOpe i was clear on the instructions, it's been at least 7 or 8 years since i've done them. My favorites were the anaheims- big peppers, but boy were they gorgeous when they were turning from green to orange/yellow/peach to red.

Angie