The partnership between people and the chili pepper is thousands of years old with perhaps no other fruit having ever infiltrated modern cuisine as much as the chili pepper has. Chili peppers have become the heart-throb of many culinary enthusiasts and purveyors of fine foods. The warmth that comes from chili peppers has permeated every household around the world ever since its accidental discovery by Columbus. India has become the largest producer and exporter of chilies, with much of the crop used for local consumption. Thailand, Mexico, Japan, Turkey, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania are also the top producers, exporting chilies to other countries around the globe.
The word chili is spelled in many different ways, yet all are one and the same. Sometimes it is chile, sometimes chili, and sometimes chilli. The last description is the most accurate insofar that chillies are members of the Capsicum family. It also forms a link with all spicy powders - chili peppers, cayenne, and paprika - which are an essential part of many national dishes.
Oops, Columbus did it again
The "great" explorer, Christopher Columbus was responsible for confusing chilies peppers. When he set sail in 1492, hoping to find a sea route to the spice islands, it was a source of black pepper (piper nigrum) that he was seeking.
Not only did he fail to find his intended destination, discovering the Caribbean island of San Salvador, but he also made the incorrect assumption that the hot spice flavoring the local food was black pepper. By the time it was realized that the fleshy pods of a fruit were responsible, rather than tiny black peppercorns, it was too late.
The Spanish called this heated new spice, pimiento (pepper) and the name stuck. It has led to confusion ever since.
The Aztecs first named their little jewels of heat, chilli. Like the Mayas and Incas, they were greatly enamored of the brightly colored fruit that had originated in the rainforests of South America, and used chillies both as food and for medicinal purposes. When the Spanish invaded Mexico in 1509, they found many different varieties of both fresh and dried chillies on sale at the market of Tenochtitlan and still more being cultivated in Montezuma's botanical gardens at Huaxtepec. Mexico continues it's long standing tradition of being a mecca for chill-enthusiasts, with every region having its own special varieties. Chillies are valued for their heat and their flavor, and accomplished cooks will often use several different types - fresh and dried - in a single dish.
Chiles have travelled the world and are embraced for good reason: They are absolute vitamin powerhouses! Each on packing more vitamin C than an orange. They are rich in potassium, beta carotene, and fiber. Research has shown that chiles contain compounds that may prevent cardiovascular disorders, certain forms of cancer, and even cataracts.
