difference in peppers?

[weezie]

Heyyyyy grandma2 and Simmy! It's my first time here! Thought I'd finally learn more tips on Jamaican cooking [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Quick question, I've noticed in several recipes, terms like "country pepper" or "scotch bonnet pepper" is used. I usually cook with country pepper, myself. What's the difference between these two and other peppers that are common in Jamaican/West Indian cooking?

[Simmy]

Re: difference in peppers?

Good day weezie. I'll try to give you some names of the different peppers and their differences. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Scotch bonnet...named after it's shape which is like a Scotsman's bonnet/tam. One of the hottest peppers, it's a key flavour ingredient because it has it's own unique flavour and is used in most Jamaican recipes/dishes for vegetables, soups or meats. Scotch bonnets are in a class by themselves, flavourwise. They are a real close cousin to the spanish habenaro peppers.
Very hot, beware of over using, dwl. Colors come in green, yellow, orange or red, the red being the hottest.

Cayenne pepper, in Jamaica, I've heard it referred to as African or Bird pepper, it's very small, long and bright red. To me, this is THE hottest pepper of them all, not at all similar in taste to the unique taste of scotch bonnet.

Jalepeno pepper, used when scotch bonnets are not available here in the States. Still it doesn't have that taste that the scotch bonnet gives. It's a decent replacement though.

All these peppers can be used sliced and de-seeded or whole.

That's as much as I know about the hot peppers used in Jamaican cooking.
The only other pepper is the sweet pepper, otherwise known as bell peppers, but it's used for seasoning and is not hot at all.

So tell mi now, is country pepper one of the above? This is the first I've heard the name. Do tell. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Grandma2 tells me its a bigger pepper not as hot as the scotch bonnet and more like jalapeno in flavour.

[grandma2]

Re: difference in peppers?

hey weezie,country pepper not as hot as the scotch bonnet,here is one picture

[weezie]

Re: difference in peppers?

Simmy, thanks for the knowledge! Grandma2, my computer must be ssssslllllllooooooowwwwww because I couldn't even open your picture. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Your description of scotch bonnet peppers sounds exactly like what I thought country peppers are. Grandma2, can you help to differentiate? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[britisha]

Re: difference in peppers?

Nice topic Weezie. Grandma2, how yu know seh mi have hexactly 5 scotch bonnets ina mi frige rite now? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Weezie, now scotch bonnets are a part of mi life, can't cook ani meats, fish widout them; the dish just doesn't seem complete without that taste. I think the scotch bonnets are what we call country pepper, but then I may be wrong.

I also thought they wee the hottest peppers on the planet, but then agen I've not tasted all other peppers [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[grandma2]

Re: difference in peppers?

hey weezie,apart from wat Simmy say up top,once yu smell or taste a scotch bonnet yu need nat ask no more, country pepper have just a mild smell an is not dat hot in taste.or as mi fada would say country pepper burn yu with no flavour. how this helps

[weezie]

Re: difference in peppers?

Britisha!!! Hey girl! How are you doing??? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Grandma2, I get what you're saying, but I was told that they're the same thing, people just call them different names depending on where you're from. The "country pepper" that I use is a staple in all the dishes I cook: fish, beef, oxtail, chicken, everthing and it burns (as poor likkleone found out!) and is dyam hot! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Semantics, but now I know that whenever you're talking about scotch bonnet peppers, I've been calling it country peppers. I gotcha and thanks for all the info!!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Guest]

Re: difference in peppers?

Scotch Bonnet and Country Pepper comes from the same family C. chinense, "Habanero".

The shape of the pods Scotch Bonnet is normally referred to as squash, however in Jamaica specialization has caused the shape and taste to be a little more refined and it can be considered a separate sub-class of pod type Squash.

The bird pepper pod shaped is called Mirasol.

[grandma2]

Re: difference in peppers?

yu knoh Tuff Gong finally weh have someting here dat mek yu lend we yu knowledge,tank yu kindly,mi did know say one day yu would come DWL,mi knoh yu nat into de hug up business but see it ya anyway ((((Tuff Gong ))))) DWL

[Guest]

Re: difference in peppers?

Originally posted by grandma2:
[qb]yu knoh Tuff Gong finally weh have someting here dat mek yu lend we yu knowledge,tank yu kindly,mi did know say one day yu would come DWL,mi knoh yu nat into de hug up business but see it ya anyway ((((Tuff Gong ))))) DWL[/qb]

Actually this was one of my only spots when I first came on the Board in fact I had tons of post here, a lot more than I had anywhere else till I started goining to politics. Ask Jazz she will tell you.

The only reason I do not post here, is that there is really nothing new. Take this pepper post this was one that I had answered year before last.

All the Vegetarian/Ital post, Coconut posts, Cook Book post I have answered, learn from participate in already....no if it was say Dear Kinky or Westside Lost, of Find out Jamaica I would say yeah I have only a maximum of three in each.... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[grandma2]

Re: difference in peppers?

well mek mi say welcome home,cause we have a new breed now,dat askin the same question DWL,so Simmy an I need yu bad.

[Simmy]

Re: difference in peppers?

Tuff Gong, waaaiiii, mek yu cum dung yah, mi glad fi see yu!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Did ask lang time weh yu deh, fi real.
Anyways, tanks fi yu input an knowledge, Grandma2 an self need it. Yu knoh wi get new ppl all di time so dem a go repeat an ask di sed tings, but is arite, dats wat di archives di deh fah....dwl. Do nuh be a stranga again, awoah. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]