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PEPPERS PROVIDE EYE-POPPING PUNGENCY

Monday, August 31, 2009 9:59 AM CDT

Special to The Commercial

LITTLE ROCK — Peppers, a staple in the MesoAmerican diet since about 8000 B.C., took less than five centuries to become embedded in cuisines across the rest of the world.

“That the fruits are called peppers goes back to Christopher Columbus,” said Craig Andersen, extension horticulture specialist-vegetables for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “He noticed New World growing some very hot peppers and assumed from their pungency the plant must be related to the shrub that produces black pepper.”

The two peppers, however, are from two different families.

“The peppers that Columbus found were hot are similar to wild peppers that we call chili tepins,” Andersen said.

Pepper lovers, especially chili enthusiasts, pay close attention to Scoville units, a measure of a pepper's heat.

This yardstick of hotness was created in 1912 by American chemist Wilbur Scoville, and is frequently seen as a boast on the labels of chili-based sauces.

The habanero, or Scotch bonnet pepper that shows up in Jamaican cooking, is rated at 200,000 Scoville units.

“The world's hottest pepper, according to Guinness, is the bhut jolokia, with a heat reading of 1 million Scoville units,” Andersen said.

Once the pepper made its way back to Europe in the late 15th century, it spread to France, Germany and Spain in the following century. Today, it's hard to find a culture that doesn't have some form of pepper in its cuisine, whether it's a bell pepper with zero Scoville units or one that will set the sinuses afire.

“The bright red, orange, yellow bell peppers have long been the favorite of Arkansans,” said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “They can be eaten fresh and are used for salads, stuffing, soup, stews, relishes and pickling.”

Bell peppers are an indispensible part of Creole and Cajun cuisine. They're also featured in Mediterranean fare and are prominent in Asian cooking.

Whether eating peppers raw, grilled or in other recipes, be sure to wash before using, she said.

If the home garden has produced more peppers than can be used, McKinnon recommends freezing.

“Chopped peppers freeze well without blanching,” she said. “Wash and core the peppers, then dice or slice, depending on how you might use them.”

Place the pieces on a cookie sheet and slide into the freezer for about an hour. Loosen the pieces and store in a freezer bag with a zip closure. The pieces will remain separated.

For more information on growing peppers, see “Peppers,” at www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-6015.pdf, or contact your county office and ask for fact sheet FSA6015.

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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