Alongside most good things bell peppers originated in South and Central America (they have also gave us lots of potato varieties, chocolate, and quinoa) and eventually when it was brought to Europe it was given the name ‘pepper.’ The Spanish equivalent is ‘pimiento.’ At the grocery store you may be used to only finding green ones but there are actually a whole rainbow of colors available, including brown, purple, and black (majority of which can be found at the market). Bell peppers are packed full of Vitamin C, with a bell pepper containing more Vitamin C in a cup than a typical orange (!!). If you’re wondering where I get these interesting (I hope) facts head on over to whfoods.com where you can read about all kinds of produce, what their history is and what health benefits they have. But before you head over there here bell peppers flavor affinities:
- basil
- cheese- mozzarella, parmesan, goat
- garlic
- eggplant
- olive oil
- onions
- potatoes
- thyme
- tomatoes
- vinegar
If you want some new ideas on how to cook bell peppers here are some recipes from Jeanell Smith’s cooking demonstration: