Hot and spicy – grandfather and I don’t care what it is if it’s hot and spicy we like it – from jalapenos to habeneros, tabasco, salsa, and all points in between.
At grandfathers age you might think he’d be toning it down a little but he can hang with the best of them.
Stuffed jalapenos are an occasional treat, they’re actually kind of mild when prepared that way as the seeds are removed prior to adding the cheese, but still a big favorite.
All in all peppers are easy to grow and doesn’t really matter the variety, including bell peppers.
Now that’s a treat, bell peppers filled with cornbread or pine nut stuffing, onions, and spices to suit individual tastes.
That jalapeno cornbread fresh and hot from the oven with butter is hard to beat also.
I knew a grandmother of the Tohono O’odham nation in Arizona who would make jalapeno and prickly pear jelly – the women would go out during certain times of the year and collect the “pears” from both prickly pear and Saguaro cactus to prepare in various ways, even make a sort of candy with it – something passed on from generation to generation.
Peppers are a staple, from the mild variety like Greek peppers to Habeneros. Habeneros are are on the upper level of the Richter scale but keeping that in mind they can add a distinct touch to food – especially cheese.
When it comes to treats there are a lot of options and most people go sweet.
Lot of people seeing my penchant for hot and spicy have said I will have ulcers by the time I’m forty, yet having known several Mexicans who shared the affinity I’ve yet to meet one who had an ulcer, and they eat a lot of spicy food.
In fact a natural remedy for ulcers is cayenne pepper, may sound counter intuitive but I’ve also known a few people who having suffered from ulcers swear by it. Peppers are also reputed to be good for circulation.
So how good is that? If I were to develop an ulcer I could treat it with peppers (cayenne), that’s like having your cake and eating it too.
The beneficial and medicinal properties are almost legendary, they are loaded with vitamins A and C, and a healthy dose of potassium.
People tend to think those red, yellow, or orange peppers they see are a different species than the more common green bell peppers, they actually aren’t – same peppers, just left to ripen on the vine longer – though you wouldn’t think so judging by the price differential.
Guess groceries stores want to cultivate an “exotic” character to them which in turn translates to bumping the cost.
This longer maturation process boosts the nutrient values and at least to my taste adds a certain sweetness, especially if red.
When it comes to serving food presentation is reputed to be as important as location is to real estate and the colored Bells can certainly add that.
Peppers are like okra, the more you pluck the more the plant will produce, and when “harvesting” the same approach as that taken with okra should be the way of it.
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