Produce Briefs...
Galia Melon
The Galia melon has a lightly netted golden yellow rind with a pale glacial green succulent flesh that has a signature spicy sweet flavor with tropical and perfumed aromatics.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Seasons/Availability
Green Cayenne peppers are available year round.
Description/Taste
Wrinkled, sharply pointed, elongated and curvy, thin-fleshed Green Cayenne chilies are the immature form of red cayenne peppers, but are not as hot. These chilies measure about five to six inches long and one-half to three-fourths inches wide. Classified as a hot pepper, these chiles offer a very pungent heat. Cayenne peppers are grown only for their heat, not flavor or color. They may also be referred to as a finger pepper or chili, ginnie pepper or bird pepper. Scoville units: 7-8 (30,000-50,000)
Nutritional Value
Providing more vitamin A than any other food plant, chiles provide an excellent source of vitamin C and the B vitamins, plus significant amounts of iron, niacin, thiamin, magnesium, and riboflavin. Chiles are cholesterol-free, saturated fat-free, low in calories, low in sodium, and high in fiber. Increasing metabolic rate, chiles are excellent for the weight-conscious. The thermic effect of chiles requires six grams of chile to burn off an average 45 calories in three hours.
Applications
Chop fresh green pods to add heat to salads, sauces, casseroles, appetizers, salsas, soups, stews, dips and relishes. Use as a table spice in hot sauce. Spice up Cajun dishes such as seafood entrees and gumbos with its robust flavor. Because of its biting heat, a little goes a long way.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Thought to have therapeutic properties, herbalist Samuel Thompson wrote about the cayenne chile pepper in 1832: "It is no doubt the most powerful stimulant known; its power is entirely congenial to nature, being powerful in raising and maintaining heat, on which life depends... I consider it essentially a benefit, for its effects on the glands causes the saliva to flow freely and leaves the mouth clean and moist."
Geography/History
Cayenne peppers, pronounced ki-en or kay-en, seem to have originated in tropical South America, but for some unknown reason, they no longer grow in that region. Chile researchers say that possibly the Portuguese took this chile pepper to Europe and later to India and Africa. Because of its name, another theory is it may have had its beginning in French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America and was named after the Cayenne River or the city of Cayenne. Shaking up this theory, the Portuguese were enjoying the heat of this chile soon after the discovery of America, a time when history claims that neither they, nor the Spaniards, were not even in the area of the Cayenne River. In 1762, the renowned Creole cuisine resulted when Spain took control of New Orleans from France and these two country's cooking habits and foods were combined. No Cajun or Creole specialty is complete without cayenne pepper. Being the most common type of pepper in the world, cayenne chiles are called by different names in every country. Thai, Indonesian, Hunan, Pakistani, Indian and Szechuan cuisines especially love its fiery intensity. Commercially grown in New Mexico, Louisiana, Japan, Africa, India and Mexico.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Green Cayenne Chile Peppers. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Tigress In a Pickle |
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Honeyed Green Cayenne Chiles |
