Peppers

I've posted about peppers in the past, mostly the hot chilis we grow for salsa and chili powder. But, we also grow several varieties of sweet peppers at One Love Farm. What you may not know is that all bell peppers start out green and, depending on the variety, change color over time. If you are very observant, you will notice green peppers readily available locally early in the season, followed by purple and then red.

As the peppers mature and turn color, they get more sugar in them and get sweeter. This is why you will notice that red peppers are noticably sweeter than green peppers.

Peppers are so popular because they are so versatile. You can use them in salads and salsas, in omlettes and homefries, in stir frys and sauces and soups. My favorite way to have peppers, though is roasted. Some people think you can only roast the red peppers, but all peppers are nice roasted. You just need to make sure they have a thick skin so the whole pepper doesn't disappear when you roast it. Put the pepper over an open flame on your grill or your stove and keep it there until the skin turns black and blisters. You want to make sure you have good ventilation if you are roasting hot peppers because the oils released during roasting can irritate your eyes and throat. Then, turn the pepper and roast all sides until they are black and blistered. Remove from the heat and let the pepper cool. Some people cool their peppers in a paper bag to conserve moisture. Being impatient, I run cool water over the pepper and remove the blackened skin. Then, remove the stem and seeds and you have a roasted pepper! Chop it in strips for fajitas or salads or dice and add to a salsa or soup.