Crop of the Week: Cayenne Pepper
Posted on September 23, 2009
The Cayenne, or Guinea pepper, or Bird pepper is a hot, red chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others. The Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with Eggplant, Tomatoes, & Potatoes.
The fruits are generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper.
Cayenne is used in cooking spicy dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Sichuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. It is also used as a herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his book Complete Herbal.
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayenne_pepper)
Cayenne Peppers can also be easily dried for year-round use. Instructions for various drying methods can be found through this link: http://www.g6csy.net/chile/drying.html
