Spice it Up with Peppers!
Spice it Up with Peppers!
Peppers are in the genus Capsicum family which includes hot varieties known as chili peppers and sweet varieties such as bell peppers. Peppers are truly taking the world by storm with international appeal and can be found in favored cuisine from all around the world. Peppers are technically a fruit due to their botanical classification… Read More »
Peppers are in the genus Capsicum family which includes hot varieties known as chili peppers and sweet varieties such as bell peppers. Peppers are truly taking the world by storm with international appeal and can be found in favored cuisine from all around the world. Peppers are technically a fruit due to their botanical classification as they contain seeds and grow from the flower of the pepper plant. More commonly, you may know peppers by their culinary classification of vegetables. We don’t mind what you call them, we just don’t want you to live without them and hope to introduce you to the wonderful world of peppers here on our farm.
There are estimated to be 50,000 different varieties of peppers in the world right now with more being developed due to their popularity and flavor. We farm anywhere from 5-8 acres of peppers annually raising over 14 different varieties of peppers representing both sweet and hot. You will see these kinds of sweet peppers on our farm; bell, cubanelle, banana, Italian roaster and lunchbox. We also grow chili pepper varieties including; cherry bomb, jalapeno, serrano, habanero, ghost, ancho/poblano, long hots and super chilies. Did you recognize any of these kinds of peppers? 
Chili Peppers add an exciting twist to your recipes. You can adjust the level of heat in your food by discarding the seeds and the white membrane inside the pepper or by selecting a less hot pepper variety for your dish. Hotter peppers tend to be ghost & habanero varieties rated by the Scoville Heat Units or SHU’s which 
measures the amount of capsaicin present. The higher the SHU rating, the hotter the pepper, so you may choose a lower rated pepper if just starting your introduction to spicy peppers . Chili peppers are used in salsas & sauces, relishes & spreads, folded into cornbread, added to sandwiches, soups, stews & chilis as well pickled and added to salads & sandwiches and also used to flavor rice and bean based dishes from around the world.
Sweet peppers add a level of dimension, flavor and crunch to meals. Sweet peppers are great for skillet dishes, omelet’s, meatballs, fresh salads, salsas, casseroles, and fajitas. Sweet peppers also make wonderful vessels for stuffing a variety of ingredients including; beef, tofu, rice or other veggies. Sweet peppers are also perfect for roasting on the grill or using to add depth to kebabs or any meal.
We hope we introduced you to the wonderful world of peppers and that you will be inspired to try some of the wonderful varieties in season on our farm right now. Try this simple dish featuring our own poblano peppers for a smoky, flavorful meal with a hint of spice everyone will love. Click here to get the recipe.
Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours!
