Chile peppers are the quintessential epicurian ambassadors who have been able to leave their home in the Americas and assimilate into many diverse cuisines around the globe. Wherever they grow they become a reflection of their environment. For instance, a hot pepper in Mexico became a mellow pepper in Spain, and created a whole new spice- paprika. It is difficult to imagine what Indian and Thai dishes would taste like without the flavorful heat chile peppers bring to the table.

Poblano Peppers
Chile Poblano is a type of Mexican pepper that is similar to a bell pepper in size and shape, although it is a bit more tapered at the end. They are a deep dark green color. In terms of heat, poblanos are medium spicy, and worth trying if you are a spicy food novice. They are the traditional pepper stuffed with cheese to make chiles rellenos, and are absolutely irreplaceable in the national dish of Mexico, Chiles en Nogada. This colorful plate is comprised of a cooked poblano pepper that is stuffed with a spiced meat mixture, covered in a walnut- based sauce, and garnished with pomegranate seeds. It is the national dish of Mexico because its colors represent the flag, which shows how important the poblano is to Mexican culinary pride.

Dried Poblanos are Chile Anchos, and take on a beautiful deep purplish hue. Their flavor is smoky and profound, and slightly spicy, perfect for chile novices.

They can be found in many supermarket chains and organic food stores, as well as Latin American markets.

Guajillo Peppers

The guajillo pepper is mainly grown in Mexico and southern Texas. Throughout all of its uses, it remains one of the most popular peppers in Mexican cooking. Because this is one of the milder peppers, considered to be moderately hot, guajillo chilies find their way into a multitude of dishes, instantly offering a burst of flavor. Its taste has been described as a combination of fruity and piney.

Guajillo peppers are most often found dried and whole in local supermarkets. Its second most common form is a powder, to easily be used in cooking. It is not recommended to purchase guajillo pepper paste, however, as it is often loaded with preservatives and artificial components. In their original form, guajillos are high in vitamins C and B. They also contain Capsicum, which is the main heat ingredient. Found in many hot peppers, this element raises one’s metabolism, and is said to aid complications with arthritis and slow the growth of certain cancers.

Should you choose to cultivate your own guajillo peppers, you should know a couple of things. Growing Taste: A Home Food-Gardening Resource says that, “Peppers can take 80 to 90 days from transplanting to fully ripen…and they grow little if at all at temperatures below 50° F.” This could be limiting to some of you gardeners out there, as these peppers require a lot of heat and sunshine. But whether you grow them on your own, or find them at your local market, try your hand at cooking with guajillos with our Sauteed Red Snapper with Orange Chile Sauce recipe – it’s a great introduction for what to do with these peppers in the kitchen.  By Anastasia Dyakovskaya