Sweet Pepper

About

In the U.S. the term sweet pepper covers a wide variety of mild peppers that, like the chile, belong to the capsicum family. The best known sweet peppers are bell peppers, named for their bell-like shape. The red heart-shaped pimiento is another popular sweet pepper. Pimientos are the familiar red stuffing found in green olives. Other sweet pepper varieties include cachucha, European sweet, bull horn (thin, curved and green); Cubanelle (long, tapered, yellow to red); and sweet banana pepper (long, yellow, banana-shaped).

Information

Other names: Chilli Pepper, Red Or Green Pepper

Translations: Paprika, Paprika, Ardei dulce, Paprike, Papryka, मिठाई मिर्च, Sweet Pimenta, Перец сладкий, Γλυκό Pepper, الفلفل الحلو, 스위트 페퍼, Sladká paprika, 甜辣椒, Dulce Pimienta, Sladká paprika, מתוק פלפל, Paprika, Слатка паприка, 甘唐辛子, Dolça Pebre, Перець солодкий, Paprika, Сладки пиперки

Physical Description

Sweet peppers are plump, bell-shaped vegetables featuring either three or four lobes. They usually range in size from 2 to 5 inches in diameter, and 2 to 6 inches in length. Inside the thick flesh is an inner cavity with edible bitter seeds and a white spongy core.

Colors: green, red, yellow, orange, purple

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet

Mouthfeel: Crisp juicy

Food complements: Corn, Garlic

Beverage complements: Beer

Substitutes: 1 tbsp dried sweet red pepper flakes = 3 tbsp chopped bell peppers; 2 tbsp chopped pimento = 3 tbsp chopped red bell pepper

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: Their skin should be firm without any wrinkles, and the stem should be fresh and green. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots.

Buying: All around the year

Preparation and Use

Their skin should be firm without any wrinkles, and the stem should be fresh and green. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots.

Conserving and Storing

Store unwashed bell peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about a week. Green bell peppers will stay fresh a little longer than the yellow and red ones

Social/Political

Chili peppers are of great importance in Native American medicine, and capsaicin is used in modern medicine.The fruit of Capsicum plants have a variety of names depending on place and type. They are commonly called chilli pepper, red or green pepper, or sweet pepper in Britain, and typically just capsicum in Australia, New Zealand, and Indian English. The large mild form is called bell pepper in the U.S. and Canada. They are called paprika in some other countries (although paprika can also refer to the powdered spice made from various capsicum fruit)

History: In the U.S. the term sweet pepper covers a wide variety of mild peppers that, like the chile, belong to the capsicum family. The best known sweet peppers are bell peppers, named for their bell-like shape