PEPPERS

Peppers are warm season vegetables and, while abundant year round, are at their best from midsummer through early fall. Peppers are members of the genus Capsicum annum and belong to the biological family that includes tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes, also known as the nightshade family. This group of vegetables is native to Central and South America and peppers were one of the first crops to be domesticated from the wild thousands of years ago. Peppers, like its other relatives, traveled to Europe when Columbus introduced the seeds to Spain ; the crop subsequently made its way to the rest of Europe, Southeast Asia and India . Today, peppers pervade many cultures and cuisines in various forms. Chile powder is one of the world's most popular spices.

Peppers are usually divided into two groups-sweet peppers and hot, or chili peppers. In general, sweet peppers are large, with thick mild flavored flesh. They may be roughly barrel shaped, like bell peppers, or slender and tapering, like gypsy peppers. Chiles , or hot peppers, are usually smaller than most sweet peppers, conical in shape, not as meaty, but with much more fire in their taste. Both types come in many colors. Before they reach full maturity, they can be green, white, brown or purple. As they mature, green peppers may turn red, yellow or orange, depending on the variety. Many sweet bell peppers are sold at the green stage, well before they are ripe and, at this stage, they have yet to develop their full flavor and may in fact be rather bitter. In most parts of the world, green peppers are considered unripe and not commonly eaten. The widespread use of green bell peppers is unique to American cuisine.

Hot peppers need a long, warm growing period during which they develop capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for their spiciness. The heat or piquancy of peppers is measured using Scoville heat units, named after the man who first invented a way to gauge capsaicin content. On the Scoville scale, bell peppers rate zero, jalapenos around 5,000 and habaneros around 400,000 units of heat. Pepper spray, used by law enforcement agencies as well as individuals to subdue attackers, rates around 5,000,000 units. The highest concentration of capsaicin is found in the interior walls of the pepper. The outer flesh and the immature seeds are rather mild until the capsaicin matures and is shed internally. The general rule is the smaller the chili pepper, the hotter it will be. Each type of chili pepper has subtle flavors in addition to its heat.

True to their season, several varieties of peppers appear only at this time of year. The varieties include Hungarian Wax, Lipstick, Gypsy and Corno di Toro Peppers. These peppers are quite colorful, somewhat long and slender, with thin walls and tapering to a point. They are usually on the sweet side although some do have mild heat. We are currently stocking these peppers from Riverdog Farms. Individual or mixed varieties are available in 10# boxes.

                                                                   Seasonal Produce

SEPTEMBER VEGETABLES

Fresh Herbs-Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano

Local Tomatoes-Mixed Cherry, Vine Ripe and Heirloom

Yellow Finn and German Butterball Potatoes

Kale, Kohlrabi, Okra

Sweet and Hot Peppers, Gypsy Peppers

Blue Lake Beans , Fresh Shell Beans

Summer Squashes-Italian, Sunburst, Patty Pan, Gold Bar

Winter Squash-Butternut, Acorn, Banana, Spaghetti, Kabocha

Wild Mushrooms-Chanterelles

 

Seasonal Fruit

Bartlett , Asian and Comice Pears Gravenstein and Specialty Apples, Plums, Figs

Red, Green and Varietal Grapes

Melons-Gala, Juan Canary, Casaba, Orange Flesh, Ambrosia

Persimmons and Pomegranates

Produces Express carries a wide varietyof items to enhance our selection of fruits and vegetables. Dairy - Whipping Cream, Buttermilk, Sour Cream, Eggs, Half and Half.

Olives- Pitted Kalamata ( Greece ) and Mixed Harvest Olives ( California ).

Olive Oil- Sciabica Extra Virgin and Pure Olive Oil ( California ).

Sparrow Lane Vinegars- ( Napa )-Apple Cider, Champagne, Balsamic, Golden Balsamic, Zinfandel, Cabernet and Red Wine.

Gourmet Valley Specialty Rice and Beans- ( Woodland )- Vermont Cranberry, Marrow, Runner Cannellini, Garboncito and Florida Butter Beans. Basmati, Carnaroli, Jasmine and Wild Rice.

Nuts- Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Macadamia, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans, Pepitas.

Dried Fruit- Apples, Raisins, Peaches, Pears, Cherries, Figs, Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Apricots, Mixed Berries, Blueberries, Dates, Sundried Tomato.

Decorative- Palm Leaves, Ti Leaves, Bay Leaves, Leatherleaf Fern, Edible Flowers, Roses, Pansies, and Orchids, Mixed Confetti Flowers.

Perfect Puree- ( Napa )-Strawberry, Peach, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blood Orange , Mango, Black Currant, Blueberry, Cherry, Pomegranate, Lychee, Prickly Pear.

Vanilla- Imported Tahitian Vanilla Beans (4oz and 8oz ), Vanilla Puree (Pint), and Extract (32oz ).

Wood- Mesquite Charcoal, Wood and Chips, Hickory and Apple Wood Chips.