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Ramps
The wild ramp, AKA wild leek, botanical name Allium tricoccum, is a flowering perennial plant that grows in clusters. It is a member of the Allium family along with onions and leeks
Calamondin Limes
The Calamondin lime is a cross between a sour, loose skinned mandarin and a kumquat, therefore technically making it an orangequat.
Salanova® Lettuces
Salanova® lettuce is a full-sized variety developed for the baby lettuce market. Botanically these varieties are scientifically known as Lactuca sativa.
Description/Taste
Toro de Oro chile peppers are elongated, straight to slightly curved pods, averaging 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter and 15 to 20 centimeters in length, and have a conical shape tapering to a point on the non-stem end. The pods typically contain three lobes, and the skin is smooth, glossy, and ribbed, ripening from green, yellow-green streaked, to golden yellow when mature. Underneath the surface, the flesh is thick, crisp, aqueous, and pale green to yellow, depending on maturity. Within the flesh, there is also a central cavity filled with membranes and small, round, and flat cream-colored seeds. Toro de Oro chile peppers have a sweet flavor with no heat.
Seasons/Availability
Toro de Oro chile peppers are available in the mid-summer through early fall.
Current Facts
Toro de Oro chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are a rare, open-pollinated variety that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Also known as Golden Bull, Toro de Oro chile peppers earned their name from their similarity in shape to a bull’s horn. Toro de Oro chile peppers were first discovered in California and are grown exclusively by Beylik Family Farms in Ventura County. The sweet peppers can be used in a wide variety of culinary applications and are similar in appearance to Italian bull horn varieties.
Nutritional Value
Toro de Oro chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help boost the immune system and are a good source of fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, and folate. The peppers also contain essential B-complex vitamins, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc.
Applications
Toro de Oro chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications. The sweet peppers can be consumed fresh, out-of-hand as a snack, sliced and paired with dips on appetizer plates, or chopped and tossed into green salads. They can also be diced into salsas, stuffed with grains, cheeses, and meats, roasted and added to soups, stews, and chilis, or sautéed into pasta and risotto. One of the most popular cooking methods is to deep fry and lightly salt the peppers similarly to a potato chip-like snack sold by street vendors in Italy. The peppers can also be pickled for extended use as a salty-sweet condiment. Toro de Oro chile peppers pair well with meats such as poultry, turkey, pork, and beef, eggplant, garlic, shallots, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, herbs such as parsley, cilantro, basil, and oregano, cheeses such as parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella, rice, and quinoa. The fresh peppers will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In the United States, the specialty pepper market began expanding in the 1990s, leading to the creation of new, hybrid varieties and to a resurgence in heirloom varieties that were previously only known by home gardeners and breeders. Within the growing market, many different cultivars of Italian frying peppers were used in breeding, all of which are similar in appearance but with different names, flower colors, harvest dates, and range of sweetness. Scott Beylik, owner of Beylik Family Farm in Fillmore, California, recalls coming across the Toro de Oro chile pepper sometime in the late 1990s. He received the seeds from one of his regular seed breeders, who informed him that they were from an open-pollinated variety and may also be an heirloom pepper. Being true to seed, the best looking and tasting Toro de Oro chile peppers were selected and sold at local farmer’s markets. The peppers grew increasingly popular in Southern California, and the pepper’s increase in demand has encouraged Beylik to continue selecting the larger of the fruits for seed saving and planting each year.
Geography/History
Beylik Family Farm introduced the Toro de Oro pepper to farmer’s markets in Southern California in the early 2000s. Located in the fertile Santa Clara River Valley in Ventura County, Beylik Family Farm received seed for the golden-yellow chile pepper in the late 1990s. Owner Scott Beylik believes the original pepper may have come from Israel, though most peppers of this type are believed to be of Italian origin. The pepper’s growth characteristics are similar to the heirloom marconi golden pepper and golden treasure pepper, two other named bull-horn shaped, Italian frying peppers. Today Toro de Oro chile peppers may be spotted at various farmer’s markets, when in season, in Southern California, ranging from markets in Santa Barbara down to Los Angeles.
Recently Shared
People have shared Toro de Oro Chile Peppers using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Sharing allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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Santa Monica Farmers Market
Cuco
Near Santa Monica, California, United States890 Oak Ave. Filmore CA 93015 1-805-732-1441 About 116 days ago, 8/21/19 Sharer's comments : Come grab these peppers by the horns! 
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Near Santa Monica, California, United StatesAbout 130 days ago, 8/07/19 Sharer's comments : Toro de Oro peppers looking great from Beylik Family Farms 
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Specialty
Near Santa Monica, California, United States619-295-3172 About 144 days ago, 7/24/19 Sharer's comments : Just the start of Toro De Oro peppers |
