Too Hot to Handle
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Chili peppers, also spelled chile or
chilli (from Classical Nahuatl chīlli), are varieties of
berry-fruit plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the
nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency (spicy
heat). They are used as a spice to add pungency in many cuisines.
Capsaicin and the related capsaicinoids give chili peppers their
intensity when ingested or applied topically.
Chili peppers exhibit a range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the
reason behind the availability of different types of chili powder, each
offering its own taste and heat level.
Chili peppers originated in Central or South America and were first
cultivated in Mexico. European explorers brought chili
peppers back to the Old World in the late 16th century as part of the
Columbian Exchange, which led to the cultivation of multiple varieties
across the world for food and traditional medicine. Five Capsicum
species have been widely cultivated: annuum, baccatum, chinense,
frutescens, and pubescens.