Cayenne Pepper

General Description Cayenne Pepper is made from the dried pods of pungent chili peppers. This fiery spice adds flair to dishes from Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. Geographical Sources Cayenne Pepper comes from Central and South America and the West Indies. Traditional Ethnic Uses Cayenne Pepper is traditionaly used in Mexican and Italian cooking. Taste and Aroma Cayenne Pepper has little aroma, but it is extremely hot to taste. History/Region of Origin Cayenne Peppers were grown for thousands of years in the West Indies and Central and South America. Spanish explorers looking for black pepper misnamed them as pepper, and introduced them to the rest of the world. One of Columbus’ passengers, de Cuneo, wrote how the Native Americans ate pepperlike fruit “like we eat apples.” Suggested Uses Try adding Cayenne Pepper to salsa, avocado dip, taco, and enchilada sauces for extra zesty flavor. You can heat up a barbecue sauce or meat marinade with a shake of Cayenne Pepper. Spice up your tartar sauce or vegetable dips and dressings with a pinch of Cayenne Pepper. You can make SouthoftheBorder omelets with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and a pinch of Cayenne Pepper added to the eggs. eBook A comprehensive eBook on nutrition that includes hundreds of articles on nutrition, all of the foodfacts and receipes is available for download. Get your personal copy today. Read more here.