Peppers

Chile peppers come in a very wide range of shapes, colors, sizes and heat intensity. They all should have very glossy, firm skin with no brown or mushy spots on the surface. Dried whole peppers, used frequently in Mexican cooking, should also have glossy skin and should be free of brown or moldy-looking spots.

Unwaxed peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure the pepper's skin is totally dry before storing — moisture causes rapid deterioration. Many commercially grown peppers are coated in wax, which extends storage life to sometimes up to three weeks.

Hot peppers are staple vegetables in Mexican, Indian, Southeast Asian and Italian cuisines. They can be used raw in salads and as toppings, roasted, stewed, pureed, stuffed and grilled. Dried chiles have a depth of flavor very different from fresh versions and are usually toasted over a flame and soaked in water before using. Various types of dried peppers are ground into powder and used as spices like paprika and cayenne.

Hot peppers are easily preserved by freezing without blanching beforehand. Seed and de-rib, slice or dice, freeze on a cookie sheet, then transfer to freezer-safe bags. Frozen peppers lose crisp texture but work well in cooked dishes. Roasted red peppers freeze beautifully. Certain varieties like cayenne and Basque Espelette are easy to dry: hang by stems in a cool dry place, then grind into chile flakes. They also pickle well.

Hot peppers are excellent sources of Vitamin C. The chemical compound capsaicin found in chiles has anti-inflammatory qualities that may reduce the risk of heart disease. Capsaicin stimulates nerve endings and has been shown to have anti-bacterial properties, supporting ancient Mayan use as a remedy for bacterial infections.

The Scoville scale, developed in 1912, measures chile 'hotness' by measuring capsaicin content, ranging from 0 (sweet bell peppers) to 16 billion. Tabasco sauce falls between 3,500 and 8,000 on the scale. The chile pepper's heat developed as an evolutionary method to discourage mammals from eating the fruit, but birds are immune to the burn and help distribute seeds. There is speculation that chiles cause mild euphoria due to endorphins released from the pain, explaining why chile-eaters keep coming back for more. The ancient Mayans used chiles as a remedy for bacterial infections, which modern laboratory studies have confirmed.

Pepper growing has significant sustainability issues. The Environmental Working Group lists sweet bell and hot peppers on their list of fruits and vegetables with high amounts of pesticide residue. They are frequently monocropped. If concerned about pesticide residue and environmental problems, talk to local growers about their methods.