Q: Dear Dave,What are Italian sport peppers? Can banana peppers be substituted?–Alison Leszcz A: Alison:They are small peppers that are usually pickled. They are popular in the Midwest. Yes, banana peppers can be substituted.–Dave
Malagueta vs. Melegueta
Q: Hi Dave,I recently received seeds from one of my seed wholesalers for this increasingly popular variety. They spelled it Malagueta, while your book Peppers of the World spells it Melegueta. Your web site search engine brings up references to Malagueta, but none to Melegueta. Your thoughts?Thanks, Dave Anderson A: Hello Dave:For the Capsicum, the correct spelling is "Malagueta," and we …
Chiltepin, Sometimes Called Birdseye
Q: Sir,I am looking for a pepper that is round, about the size of a pencil eraser. My father always called these "Birdseye," but when I went to your page and saw the picture they didn’t look anything alike. These are real hot peppers and I would like to know where I can buy the seed for my garden.Thanks, Steve …
Ancho vs. Poblano
Q: Dave,I’ve always thought that an ancho chile was simply a dried poblano. Most of the time when I run across ancho chiles this tends to be correct. Occasionally, however, I’ll run across references to ancho as its own variety of pepper. So, my question is: Is an ancho chile its own variety or is it simply a dried version …
Heat Level of Calabrian Peppers
Q: Hi Dave,Here in Italy most people believe that the peppers grown in Calabria are the absolute hottest. I know that’s not true (ex: habaneros), but at what Scoville level are Calabrian peppers and generally what kind of peppers do they grow there? Thanks in advance.–Christian A: Hello Christian:Since there are so many different varieties of Calabrian peppers, it is …