The Peppers

Sweet pepper—also known as “bell pepper” for its distinct bell-like shape—is a mild, crisp variety native to Mexico, Central America and South America. Peppers of this type are large and typically range in color from green, red, yellow and orange. Due to the genetic absence of capsaicin, sweet peppers lack the heat and spiciness associated with other members of the pepper family. Compared to other colors of pepper, green peppers—which are immature red peppers—are more tangy and bitter. The erroneous name “pepper” was given by Christopher Columbus who brought them back to Spain in 1493 where they eventually spread across the globe. Mexico is one of the world’s major producers of sweet peppers.