The Peppers

The datil is a very hot pepper cultivated almost entirely within the Minorcan community residing in St. Augustine, Florida. Derived from the Spanish term for date fruit, it is believed that the pepper was first brought to the United States from the Caribbean by a colony of Minorcan settlers in the late 1700s. Ranging between 100,000 and 300,000 units on the Scoville Heat Index, it is similar in heat to the habañero but has a markedly sweeter, fruitier flavor. Typically yellow or orange and elongated in shape, the datil continues to be a proud cornerstone of Minorcan culture.