Where can I get interesting information about peppers (Capsicum) of any kind?

The History of the Chilli Pepper

The capsicum (Chilli Pepper) plant is indigenous to South America, where they grow wild. The very first concerted cultivation of the plant is believed to have taken place around 7000 to 6000 BC and traces have been found at prehistoric burial sites around Peru. By the turn of the 15th century, when the Spanish and Portuguese discovered South America, chilli peppers were widely cultivated for human consumption. Aren't we all glad that they did?

The Spaniards found that drying and crushing the pods of the hottest chilli peppers, made an excellent fiery substitute for the peppercorn that was so extensively used in European cuisine. They named their fantastic discovery "pimienta" (which is the Spanish word for pepper), or "pimienta chilli" (as the Mexicans referred to them) so as to distinguish them from peppercorns. Soon enough, tons of chillis were being shipped back to Spain each year, much to the delight of the Spanish population.

The Portuguese went one step further and created a website called "The Great Chilli Farm and" ………(Just kidding). The Portuguese shipped mature chilli pepper plants to their settlements in the East Indies and upon arrival, the new plant was re-christened Pernombuco pepper. Being a lot easier to grow and a great deal hotter than the peppercorn, it soon became the more popular of the two. Because the chilli pepper is now used as much in Eastern cuisine as it is in South American cuisine, it is often thought to have originated in the East rather than in the West. There's enough fighting going on in the world, so try not to bring up the subject in polite conversation. Just keep this information in the back of your mind in case you are ever a contestant on the quiz show, "The weakest link".

As the climate of southern Europe was ideal for growing chilli peppers, is wasn't too long before the fruit was available in most European market places. The powder ground from the dried fruits was being sold in all the major cities of Europe as it kept well and was very easy to transport.

Powdered chilli pepper, appeared in many of the 18th century recipes, but the real enthusiasts, were among the Victorians who loved the new Indian dishes, popularized during the height of the British Empire in India. It wasn't long before companies such as Lazenbys, Harveys, and Crosse & Blackwell, manufactured hot pepper sauces to grace the Victorian dinner tables. During the 20th century, powdered chilli pepper was used mainly in the preparation of national and ethnic dishes from South America to North America to India to Africa to China and Southeast Asia. Who can honestly say that they don't enjoy eating a great Madras lamb-on-the-bone, or a Thai green chicken curry or the world famous Singapore Chilli crab or South Africa's Cape Malay Baboti? I know I do!!

Chilli Peppers - What the Doctors and Quacks say!

The main virtue of the chilli pepper lies in the fact that it is a powerful stimulant, yet has no narcotic effects. At last, something that feels good and is good for you!

It is interesting that the chilli is most popular in tropical climates. One half expects people living in these regions would avoid any more heat at all costs, but no, the stimulation of the hot chilli causes the heart to beat faster thus causing the body to sweat and since the sweat glands are the body's natural air conditioner, the tropics are obviously the place to activate them!

Chilli peppers, used with discretion, will also help a sluggish digestion. They certainly help the Mexicans and South Americans digest their heavy spicy foods. Most doctors in the 20th century agree that eating chillis, particularly the acrid Capsicum annuum frutescens, will encourage salivations, gastric secretions and gut movement and thus make food easier to digest. There is a West Indian recipe called Mandram which is also meant to help a weak digestion: chilli pods are mixed with thinly sliced, unpeeled cucumber, shallots, chives or onions, lemon or lime juice and Madeira. Similar recipes appear in homeopathic and herbal medicine books.

The oil content of the capsicum, if dissolved in ether and applied with cotton wool, is considered by many to be very useful in relieving rheumatic pains.

It is even claimed by some that if one eats a lot of chilli peppers they will rid the body of enough fats to lower the blood cholesterol level and reduce the chances of heart attack. Indeed, it is true that a study of chilli-eating Spanish Americans has shown them to suffer from a remarkable low level of heart disease! A new expression could be "A chilli a day, keeps the spare tire away!"

However, if taken in excess, hot chilli peppers can cause gastritis, renal irritation, inflammation, strangury and of course, make it necessary to keep a roll of toilet paper in the deep freeze and have to do handstands in the shower.

For hundreds of years, doctors, herbalists and quacks have been recommending chilli peppers as a cure for digestive disorders, catarrh, weak sight, pimples and skin diseases, rheumatism, chilblains and alcoholism. My own experience is that in the last 20 years, I can count the number of times I have been sick on one hand. I'm not saying that it is because of all the chilli peppers that I eat, but it always seems to be the sniveling, nose blowing, aches and pains kind of person that tells me that they can't eat anything hotter than a ginger biscuit. You decide!

Hot Peppers

The chilli pepper has been cultivated in South America for nearly 10,000 years so it has had plenty of time to evolve. As a result there are almost as many types of chilli pepper as there are days in the year. These are just some of the chillis regularly grown in Mexico alone: ancho, mulatto, pasilla, serrano, huasteco, jalapeño, guajillo, cascabel, pequin, chiltepin, carrecillo or tornachilli, habanero, cora, guajon, bola, gordo, arribeno, guero, costeno, arotonilco, huachinango, puya, cristalino, trompa, bolita, catalina, ornamental, chilli de ague, chilli de arbol, liso, panlteco, zacapeno, San Luis, loco, chircozle, pimiento, poblano, chilaco, chiguacle, chiclateco, miguateco, chilli mirasol rojo.

Although chilli peppers are by their very nature hot, some are hotter than others! A good rule of thumb is that the smaller the pepper, the darker the colour, the more pointed the top and the narrower the shoulders, the hotter it will be.

Despite this emphasis on their heat and fiery nature, the different varieties of chilli pepper do have a very specific flavours of their own. Should you find yourself with a selection of chillis in front of you, this is what some of them may be:

Ancho

One of the most widely used peppers, especially in Mexico and the United States. It is about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide, and a fresh ancho looks like a bell pepper. When ripe, it darkens to a very deep, almost black, red. It is rich, full and relatively mild in flavour.

Mulato

Similar in shape and size to an ancho, but longer, more tapering and almost brown in colour. Mulato is wrinkled and more pungent than ancho.

Pasilla

This pepper is 6 to 7 inches long and only 1 inch wide. It is a very dark red, very richly flavoured and very hot. It is sometimes called chilli ***** because of its dark colour

Serano, jalapeño, pequin, cascabel and tepin peppers

These are all small, dark green tapering and between 1 ½ and 2 inches long. They are all very hot indeed, although the heat resides in the ribs and seeds rather than the flesh. They are difficult to find fresh, but most gourmet shops store pickled and canned varieties.

Malagueta

These come from Brazil and are sometimes called cayenne chillis. They are small and hot. The ripe pepper is bright red and rich in flavour, and is sold fresh.

Habanero

From Mexico, they also grow in tropical Brazil, and in Jamaica where they are called Scotch bonnets! Their flavour is much prized and they are often bottled for long keeping.

Chilli peppers from the East Indies and from Africa fall into approximately the same categories, but care should be taken to avoid a small Japanese pepper called Hortoka. This is pure liquid fire - indeed, an eighth of a teaspoon of hortoka is the equivalent of one whole pequin pepper, one of the hottest of the Mexican breeds…

Chilli, Cayenne, Paprika and Tabasco

Many people will have only met chilli peppers in the form of ground cayenne, chilli or paprika pepper, or as Tabasco. These powders are made by crushing the dried peppers, usually complete with ribs and seeds; the variation comes in the fruit that is crushed. The sweet Hungarian paprika, which is very mild in comparison with its fiery cousins, is made form several different varieties of the Capsicum annuum grossum.

What we buy in the shops as chilli powder comes mainly from India and is usually derived from the Capsicum annuum Fingerh. Cayenne pepper can be made both from the Capsicum annuum acuminatum and the Capsicum annuum frutescens. The chief growing area is French Guiana, and the capital city of French Guiana is Cayenne!

Tabasco (which is a trade name rather than a botanical one) is the only one of these spices to come in liquid form. Powdered Capsicum annuum concords is mixed with spirits of vinegar and salt to create a lethal liquid which is contained in little glass bottles.

All these peppers are excellent for seasoning dishes, but they are, with the exception of paprika, extremely hot and should be used with discretion.

Handling Tips

When one talks about hot peppers one thinks always of a burning sensation in the mouth. However, if you are handling fresh chillis you must remember that the oils and juices in the flesh will burn your fingers as successfully as they will burn your tongue. They must be treated with great care.

Wear rubber gloves, especially if preparing the hotter varieties. Some people say that 'buttering' your hands will protect them, but rubber gloves are a great deal more efficient.

When you have finished preparing chillis, wash both the gloves and your hands very thoroughly with soap and warm water.

NEVER TOUCH YOUR EYES, NOSE OR MOUTH until you have washed your hands and gloves. The skin in these areas is very sensitive and will react painfully to any contact with the peppers.

If you do burn yourself with the chilli, treat the burn as you would any other burn. Run it under cold water and dress it with a baking powder paste or a burn ointment.

Dried chillis do not present the same hazards in handling as they lack the volatile oil present in the fresh fruit. Nonetheless, they should be treated with respect!

I personally recommend that one of the best ways to help cool down your mouth is to chew on a large piece of cheese. The oils found in cheese tend to mix with and thus dilute the oils present in chilli peppers. There really is no point in gulping down vast quantities of water as it is a bit like "water off a ducks back".

Pure lemon or lime juice mixed with a little sugar water is also a fairly good "fire extinguisher" as the juice in both fruits acts as a grease cutter and can help soothe the burn.

Preparing Chillis for Use

Fresh Chillis

Once having conned one's rubber gloves, chillis may be cut in half lengthways and the seeds and ribs removed. Preferably, this operation should be done under running water. The flesh can then be sliced or chopped into whatever size is needed.

Alternatively, the flesh, ribs and seeds can be minced or pulverized to make a really hot chilli sauce.

Chilli peppers, like bell peppers, benefit from skinning. There are various methods but the method given below skins and seeds the pepper at the same time.

Rinse and drain the chillis and with the point of a knife, pierce each one (once) near the stem. Put the chillis on a baking tray and place under a hot grill, turning frequently until brown and blistered all over. Wrap in a cold damp tower and leave to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the skin, downwards in long strips, then pull off the stem and, holding the point up, squeeze the pod from the point downwards and all the seeds will squirt out.

Dried Chillis

Dried chillis can either be pulverized and used as a spice or reconstituted and used as a vegetable. To do this they need only be soaked for approximately 30 minutes in tepid water. This method can be used for whole chillis or chilli pieces.

Cultivating Capsicums

When you decide to grow your own chilli peppers you should not have too much trouble, provided you have a sheltered sunny corner in the garden or a greenhouse. Chilli peppers are less tolerant of northern climates, where they can only be grown in a greenhouse. If the capsicums are to be grown outside, harden off the plants in a cold frame before planting out in late spring, after the danger of frost has passed. Choose a sheltered sunny spot against a wall and plant seedlings about 2 feet apart in well-drained, well-manured soil with some super phosphate raked in. But remember that too rich a soil may encourage leaf, not fruit, growth.

The seeds should be planted during spring in pots or trays of sterilized seed compost, and maintained at a temperature of about 20°C/70°F. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into 3-inch pots of potting compost. Pot on as necessary taking extreme care not to damage the root system in any way, as damaging the roots will seriously retard the plant's growth progress. The larger the pot, the larger the plant and obviously, the larger the crop. Stand the pots in good light to ensure sturdy, short jointed growth.

Pinch out the growing tips when the plants are about 6 inches high to encourage a bushy growth. Support the plants and keep the roots moist. Feed once a week with mild liquid fertilizer such as a seaweed based fertilizer.

The flowers will appear in late spring to early summer. Nip out the first ones to encourage fruiting. The fruits should be ready for picking in mid to late summer, and remember, the more fruit you remove, the more fruit the plant will produce. Start picking the fruits just before they start to ripen fully or don't appear to be getting any larger.

If the peppers are to remain in the greenhouse, the seedlings should be potted on into 6 inch and then 8 to 10 inch pots. They can also be planted in gro-bags. Nip out the flowers as for the outdoor plants, stake them where necessary and syringe the leaves daily during the flowering period to encourage fruit setting.

Water the plants regularly and feed at 10-day intervals once the fruits appear. Keep the atmosphere fairly dry with a minimum night temperature of 18°C/64°F and lightly shade the glass during the hottest months.

The Capsicum Plant

You may have heard it referred to as a pepper, but that shiny, tight skinned, green, red, purple, orange or gold strangely shaped vegetable that millions of people love to eat is not really a pepper at all! To be even more accurate, it is not even a distant relative of the piper nigrum or black pepper corn that is so liberally ground over almost everything we eat as seasoning or flavourant.

Hot chillis and sweet bell peppers are members of the Capsicum family of plants, which are indigenous to South America. Capsicums are members of the Solanaceae family, which includes the potato, eggplant or bringal, tomato and tobacco plants. The early Spaniards and Portuguese explorers named them peppers when they discovered that the natives of South America used this fiery spice to flavour their food. The spice was obtained by crushing dried chillis into a course power, and because of the similarity of burn to the black pepper used in Europe, the explorers christened it "Pepper".

One explanation of the origin of the word capsicum comes from the Greek verb kapto which means to bite or to swallow hungrily, and could refer to the biting sensation of the hot chilli when consumed. The Oxford English dictionary maintains that the origin comes from the Latin word capsa meaning case or container. You decide which is more likely.

There are many arguments as to how the "chilli" of chilli pepper should be spelt. The spelling "chile" or "chili" derives from the Spanish and "chilli" or "chilly" from the Aztec. Rule of thumb is that "chilli" or "chili" refers to ground powder and "chile" refers to the fresh vegetable. One thing is for sure though, that no matter how you spell it or say it, it definitely doesn't mean "cold".

The varieties of chilli differ tremendously in size, colour, fleshiness, smell and most of all, in strength of burn. The only constant is the fact that they are all hollow and shaped like a fat tube closed at one end by the stalk. The other end can be rounded or it can taper into a point. In size they vary from tiny little hot fruit no bigger than a man's small fingernail to bells as large as a man's hand. The skins are generally taut, quite tough and shiny, and inside is a fleshy membrane varying in thickness from less than 1/16th of an inch to as thick as ¼ of an inch in the larger bell peppers and Poblano chillis. Fleshy white ribs or placenta run up the inside walls of the fruit and are covered with small, flat white seeds. This is where most of the heat is found in a chilli pepper and the reason is explained below under the heading "What is all of that heat designed to do in nature? The stalk is attached to a core, which obtrudes into the middle of the fruit. This is made out of the same fleshy material as the ribs and usually carries the bulk or the fruit's seeds.

The most active chemical constituent in the capsicum is CAPSAICIN - a volatile compound which is closely related to vanillin, a component of vanilla. It is upon the quantity of Capsaicin in each plant that the fieriness of the fruit depends. Bell peppers are relatively low in Capsaicin (less than 0.001%), and the more pungent chilli peppers are high (approximately 1.3%) of the total volume of liquid carried by that fruit.

There are 50 species of capsicums, which include annuals, short-lived perennials and both deciduous and evergreen shrubs. Capsicums are sensitive to frost and thrive in well- drained soil. Too much rain will cause root rotting and thus, poor fruiting. If the soil is light and loamy or sandy and well fertilized and the rainfall is over 25 inches per annum (this can be achieved by watering of course), and the drainage is good, it is possible to grow capsicums virtually anywhere.

Capsicums are prone to attack by Red Spider mites, which suck the sap of the plants in hot dry weather and cause mottling on the upper leaves; these eventually turn bronze and fall off. The capsid bug can also cripple a growing plant and distort its leaves rendering it totally un-productive. Regular spraying is the only answer to bugs and disease. For a more organic approach to chilli farming, a simple method of combating bugs is to dissolve a bar of pure un-perfumed soap in a bucket of warm water. Let the solution cool and spray liberally onto your chilli plants every three to four weeks, depending on the levels of infestation. It is advisable to use this method of combating bugs a few weeks before you start to consume your chillis to avoid any poisoning that might occur from using regular insecticides.

Cultivated Varieties

Let's have the Latin names please!

The most regularly cultivated peppers are those, which fall into the categories of Capsicum annnuum and Capsicum frutescens.

The species Capsicum annnuum includes most of the edible capsicums.

The capsicum annuum grossum is a shrubby perennial, which seldom grows more than 18 inches high. Its fruit are large glossy green bell peppers mostly used in salads.

The Capsicum annuum acuminatum is a slightly larger plant, also perennial, and it produces the thin conical twisted fruit that are dried and used for making various hot chilli powders.

The Capsicum annnuum longum, or long chilli pepper, has a drooping, red or yellow fruit, 8-12 inches in length and is normally not very hot to eat.

The Capsicum annnuum concordes, or cone chilli pepper, has erect and conical fruit, between 1 and 3 inches long, and very hot. Tabasco chilli as a good example of this specie.

The Capsicum annnuum fingerh is slim and pointed. It grows over 4 inches long, mainly in India and is used in the production of hot chilli powder.

The Capsicum frutescens is mainly grown in the tropics, and can reach a height of 6 feet. This species produces blunt conical fruits, which are extremely hot and acrid, main used in the production of hot cayenne pepper. The Thai Dragon is a good example of this specie.

Nutritional Value

Are chillis good for me or bad for me?

The nutritional value of capsicums lies in their vitamin content. Vitamins A, C and E are present in sweet and hot chilli peppers, the sweet having particularly large amounts. As a matter of fact, 1 ounce of raw sweet pepper contains approximately 40 mg of Vitamin C, which is two thirds of the recommended daily intake of that vitamin. However, chilli peppers and sweet peppers lose their vitamin content when they are cooked or pickled, or if they are allowed to ripen too much. Scientists say that chillis add more than just flavour to the diet. Capsaicin stimulates the appetite, helps to clear the lungs, improves circulation and acts as a painkiller for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. Capsaicin, once ingested, causes the brain to release endorphins into the bloodstream which can induce a natural feeling of well being similar to that achieved by long distance runners. If you ever wondered why long distance runners seem to enjoy running, just eat a few nice hot chillis and experience the feeling for yourself.

The Famous Heat Scale Explained

How is the heat of a chilli measured?

In 1912 a chemist called Wilbur L. Scoville, devised a dilution method to calculate how hot chillis were. He added equal parts of sugar water to the capsicum oil until the burn could no longer be detected. The very mild chillis could take as much a 1000 units before the burn disappeared. Can you imagine the exercise when working out the rating of the Red Savina Habanero, which achieves a rating in excess of 500 000 Scoville units. Nowadays chillis are measured using a separating technique called High Pressure Liquid Chromatography. A measure of extracted chilli juice is placed into the chromatograph machine, and under high pressure, the machine separates the capsaicin from the total volume of liquid and thus calculates the strength of the chilli.

What is all of that heat designed to do in nature?

Nature, as always, is wonderful! The most obvious reason for why chillis burn is that the plant wants to disperse its seeds in the most efficient way possible. The answer is birds! Birds don't have trigeminal cells in their mouths throats or noses, as do mammals. The seeds pass through a bird's digestive tract very quickly, and are dispersed unharmed by digestive juices over a large area relatively quickly. A mammal on the other hand is quite different. The seeds hardly ever make it through the system whole and unscathed, because of the powerful acidic gastric juices needed to break food down during digestion. In a nutshell, chillis are trying their utmost to stop us and other herbivores from eating them by producing capsaicin oil as a repellent. I think that they have to rethink their strategy, because it certainly isn't working with me.

HistoryChile peppers have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since about 7500 BC. They were domesticated there between 5200 and 3400 BC, one of the first cultivated crops in the Americas. Chile peppers are thought to have been domesticated at least five times by prehistoric peoples in different parts of South and Middle America, from Peru in the south to Mexico in the north.

They were discovered in the Caribbean by Columbus and named "peppers" because of their similarity in taste (though not in appearance) with the Old World peppers of the Piper genus.

Diego Álvarez Chanca, a physician on Columbus' second voyage to the West Indies in 1493, brought the first chile peppers to Spain, and first wrote about their medicinal effects in 1494.

From Europe, chile peppers spread rapidly into India, China, and Japan. The new spice was quickly incorporated into the local cuisines. Species and cultivars

Cayenne chile peppers

The most common species of chile peppers are:

Capsicum annuum, which includes many common varieties such as bell peppers, paprika, and jalapeños

Capsicum frutescens, which includes the cayenne and tabasco peppers

Capsicum chinense, which includes the hottest peppers such as habaneros and Scotch bonnets

Capsicum pubescens, which includes the South American rocoto peppers

Capsicum baccatum, which includes the chiltepin

Assorted paprika fruits from Mexico

Though there are only a few commonly used species, there are many cultivars and methods of preparing chile peppers that have different common names for culinary use. Green and red bell peppers, for example, are the same cultivar of C. annuum, the green ones being immature. In the same species are the jalapeño, the chipotle (a smoked jalapeño), the poblano, ancho (which is a dried poblano), New Mexico, Anaheim, Serrano, and other cultivars. Jamaicans, Scotch bonnets, and habaneros are common varieties of C. chinense. The species C. frutescens appears as chiles de arbol, aji, pequin, tabasco, cayenne, cherry peppers, malagueta and others. HeatThe substances that give chile peppers their heat are the alkaloid capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide or C18H27NO3) and four related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids. Each capsaicinoid has a different effect on the mouth, and variation in the proportions of these chemical is responsible for the differing sensations produced by different varieties. Capsaicin causes pain and inflammation if consumed to excess, and can even burn the skin on contact in high concentrations (habanero peppers, for example, are routinely picked with gloves). It is also the primary ingredient in pepper spray, which is used as a "less-than-lethal" weapon.

The "heat" of chile peppers is measured in Scoville units. Bell peppers rank at zero Scoville units, jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 Scoville units, and habaneros at 300,000 Scoville units. The record for the highest number of Scoville units in a chile pepper is assigned by the Guinness Book of Records to the Red Savina Habanero, measuring 577,000 units. However, a recent report was made of a pepper from India called the Naga Jolokia measuring at 855,000 Scoville units. Both the Red Savina and the Naga Jolokia claims are disputed as to their validity, and lack independent verification. Pure capsaicin rates at 16,000,000 Scoville units.[1] CuisineThe fruit is eaten cooked or raw for its fiery hot flavor which is concentrated along the top of the pod. The stem end of the pod has glands which produce the capsaicin, which then flows down through the pod. Removing the seeds and inner membranes is thus effective at reducing the heat of a pod.

Well-known dishes with a strong chile flavor are Mexican salsas, Tex-Mex chili con carne, and Indian vindaloos and other curries. Chili powder is a spice made of the dried ground chiles, usually of the Mexican chile ancho variety, but with small amounts of cayenne added for heat. Bottled hot sauces such as Tabasco sauce are made from chiles such as the cayenne (not, oddly, from tabasco peppers), which may also be fermented.

Indonesian, Indian, Szechuan and Thai cuisines are particularly associated with the chile pepper, although the plant was unknown in Asia until Europeans introduced it there.

Sambal is dipping sauce made from chile peppers with any other ingredients such as garlic, onion, shallots, salt, vinegar and sugar. It is very popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Popularity

Scotch bonnet chile peppers in a Caribbean market

Chile peppers are popular in food. Capsaicin has an antibacterial effect, so food cooked with chiles keeps for longer without spoiling. They are rich in vitamin C and are believed to have many beneficial effects on health. The pain caused by capsaicin stimulates the brain to produce endorphins, natural opioids which act as analgesics and produce a sense of well-being. Psychologist Paul Rozin suggests that eating chiles is an example of a "constrained risk" like riding a roller coaster, in which extreme sensations like pain and fear can be enjoyed because we know they are not actually harmful.

Chile peppers drying in Kathmandu, NepalBirds do not have the same sensitivity to capsaicin as mammals, as capsaicin acts on a specific nerve receptor in mammals, and avian nervous systems are rather different. Chile peppers are in fact a favorite food of many birds living in the chile peppers' natural range. The flesh of the peppers provides the birds with nutritious meal rich in vitamin C. In return, the seeds of the peppers are distributed by the birds, as they drop the seeds while eating the pods or the seeds pass through the digestive tract unharmed. This relationship is theorized to have promoted the evolution of the protective capsaicin. It is interesting to note that the chemical used to give an artificial grape flavoring to food items such as grape soda does have a similar effect on birds as capsaicin has on humans. Spelling and usageThe three primary spellings used are chile, chili, and chilli, all of which are recognized by dictionaries.

Chile is the most common spelling which refers specifically to this plant and its fruit. This orthography is universal in the Spanish-speaking world, although in some parts the plant and its fruit are better known as ají.

Chili is also quite popular, but its use is discouraged by some, as this word is more commonly used to refer to a popular Southwestern dish (chili is the official state dish of Texas http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/symbols/chi... as well as to the mixture of cumin and other spices (chili powder) used to flavor it. Chile powder, on the other hand, is powdered dried chile peppers.

Chilli is used in non-American English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia. The Oxford English Dictionary lists chilli as the main spelling, and chile and chili as variant spellings.

Chili peppers can also be used decorativelyThe name of this plant bears no relation to Chile, the country, which is named after the Quechua chin ("cold"), tchili ("snow"), or chilli ("where the land ends"). Chile is one of those Spanish-speaking countries where chiles are known as ají.

There is some disagreement about whether it is proper to use the word "pepper" when discussing chile peppers because "pepper" refers to the genus Piper, not Capsicum. Despite this dispute, English dictionaries support a sense of pepper referring to Capsicum, such as the Oxford English Dictionary (sense 2b of pepper) and Merriam-Webster [2]. Furthermore, the word "pepper" is commonly used the botanical and culinary fields in the names of different types of chile peppers.

Information About Capsicum

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