The Peppers

A close relative of the habanero, the scotch bonnet boasts a similar fiery heat (measuring between 150,000 and 300,000 Scoville Heat Units) but has a distinct shape and earthy, slightly apricot-like flavor all its own. Scotch bonnets—also known as Boabs Bonnet, Bonney peppers or Scotty Bons—are irregular in shape and ripen from yellow to orange to red. Found primarily in the Caribbean islands, as well as parts of Guyana and the Maldives, these peppers give jerk dishes and other Caribbean cuisine their unique flavor. Scotch bonnets are named for their resemblance to the bonnets worn by early European settlers