Although most chili peppers are indigenous to South America, they are used and grown around the world. Hot peppers are used in abundance in Mexican, South American, Indonesian, African and Oriental cooking, while the milder peppers are common in European and North American recipes. What Are Peppers The word "peppers" can bring to mind several images. On one end of the spectrum is the sweet bell pepper. On the... Read more >
When selecting peppers for heat, the rule of thumb is the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be. Because it makes sense to select chili peppers by their pungency rather than their species, we have divided the pepper plants featured on this site by heat—sweet peppers to very hot peppers. (For those of you who are particularly interested in plant identification, we've included the species information.) Learn... Read more >
Chili peppers can be used fresh or preserved. This page discusses using fresh peppers and includes a homemade salsa recipe. Click here to read about pickling and drying peppers, as well as uses for preserved peppers. Stuffed Peppers Whether they're sweet bells, mini pimentos, or spicy serranos, stuffed peppers make delicious appetizers or even main courses. Stuffed peppers can be made vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarian... Read more >
While many pepper plants are perennial (flower and fruit year after year) in their native environment, most garden peppers are grown as annuals (replaced every year). Peppers are part of the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and datura. Pepper Planting Peppers, especially hot pepper plants with their colorful fruits, are ideal for spot planting around a garden, providing... Read more >
The sweet peppers are those that have very little bite to them—or none at all. At 0-1000 Scoville Units, they may have a little tang, but that's about it. Sweet peppers generally prefer a rich soil that has been enriched with compost and bright morning sunlight with filtered afternoon light. Bell Peppers Bell pepper plants are vigorous upright plants producing the archetypal green pepper, or yellow, orange... Read more >
Chili peppers, like all other fruits and vegetables, are at their very best right after picking. Refrigeration will delay spoilage only for a few days. Preserving through pickling, drying or freezing extends their shelf life so you can enjoy your delicious peppers year round. Pickling Peppers Some of the best chili peppers for pickling and making relishes are the jalapeno, Bermuda hot, pepperoncini, sweet... Read more >
Chili peppers add spice and flavor to many common dishes. Many people claim that chili peppers have numerous health benefits, such as assisting in weight loss and supporting pain management. However, chili peppers also have some potential health risks. Chili Pepper Use in the United States Each year, millions of pounds of capsaicin (chili pepper extract) are imported into the United States, primarily from India... Read more >
These medium heat peppers range from 3000 to 6000 Scoville Units and include the hot variety of banana peppers and jalapenos. These chili peppers have a full range of uses from fresh to drying and are some of the most popular for stuffing—especially the jalapeno (try the recipe below for Jalapeno Poppers). Christmas Peppers Christmas peppers are very prolific, beautiful, compact plants producing upright 1... Read more >
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