History

• Peppers actually originated in the New World. The natives in Central and South America had been growing peppers for more than 2,000 years before Columbus arrived on their shores. It was Columbus who first introduced them to Europe, and explorers from Portugal used the New World peppers to trade for goods from the Far East. Many of the dishes thought to be 100 percent European would not be the same without New World peppers.
  
  

Types

• Peppers are classified by how hot and spicy they will make your dishes. Several types of peppers have more than one variety, so you will see them listed in more than one category. Not all of the types of peppers are available everywhere, but you can substitute one that comes close. And it is perfectly OK to choose one that is milder as well.
  Fiery hot peppers include the Fresno, Habanero, Jalapeno, Tepin, Serrano, Tabasco and Thai.
  Very hot include Aji, Anaheim, Cayenne, Cherry, De Arbol, Fresno, Habanero, Jalapeno, Tepin, Serrano, Tabasco and Thai.
  Hot peppers include the Anaheim, Ancho, Hungarian, Cascabel, Cayenne, Cherry, Fresno, Chile Negro and Rocotillo.
  Medium hot include the Anaheim, Ancho, Hungarian, Cascabel, Cherry, Chile Negro and Rocotillo.
  Mild include the Anaheim, Ancho, Bell, Hungarian, Chile Negro, Pepperoncini and Rocotillo.
  Sweet varieties include the Bell and Pepperoncini.
  
  

Function

• Different peppers work best in different types of recipes. Since they come in different strengths, you can pick how hot the dish will be without changing the basic flavor.
  For salsa, you can choose from Aji, Hungarian, Fresno, Jalapeno, Rocotillo or Serrano.
  For sauces, Aji, Hungarian, Cascabel, Cayenne, Jalapeno, Chile Negro, Serrano or Thai.
  For soups or stews, Anaheim, Ancho, Cascabel, Cayenne, De Arbol, Chile Negro, Pepperoncini, Tepin, Serrano or Thai.
  For cooking beans, Ancho, De Arbol, Jalapeno, Tepin or Serrano.
  For salads, Bell or Pepperoncini.
  For stir fries, Bell and Thai.
  For making sausage, Cascabel.
  For making pickled peppers, Hungarian, Cherry or Fresno.
  For making relishes and jellies, Cherry.
  For making sandwiches, Pepperoncini.
  For sauteing alone or with other vegetables, Bell or Rocotillo.
  Habanero peppers are served with freshly squeezed lime juice, and Tabasco peppers are used to make pepper sauce. Bell peppers are used for making stuffed peppers.
  
  

Considerations

• Consider using a different type of pepper than you are used to. It will give the dish a bit of a different flavor. If you are worried about it being too hot, make sure to take out all of the seeds, as the seeds are where the heat is concentrated. Also consider serving bread with any dish that has hot peppers, as bread will absorb the heat. Drinking water will not help tone down the heat, but dairy products such as milk or yogurt can help.
  
  

Effects

• Using a different pepper will change your recipe a bit, but experimentation is a part of cooking. You can try just a small amount of the pepper at first to see just what effect it has on the taste, and ask your family's opinion of it. Depending on what feedback you get, you can increase or decrease the amount of peppers used, or switch to a different pepper and see if that will make everyone happier.