Dave DeWitt - Chile Peppers: A Global History

I have been writing this book for 44 years, and Im not done yet, despite the fact that youre holding it in your hands. Thats because my research on the subjects of chile peppers and fiery foods never ends. Just like the archaeological discoveries at Cern that are documented in , some new disclosure about chile peppers will crop up, and, by the sheer force of my interest, Ill compulsively write about it. This is my writing niche; its what I do and why Im called the Pope of Peppers.

Over those 44 years, Ive written, sometimes with coauthors, 42 published books on chile peppers and fiery foods, and hundreds of articles published in magazines and on blogs and websites. Ive chosen some of my best writing from past projects for this book and also added new material thats previously unpublished in print form. So this book is partly a culinary history and partly a memoir about my trips around the world to research chile usage in many different cuisines.

Although this book is not designed to be a cookbook, I have selected several representative recipes for each chapter so readers can create the flavors they are reading about in their own kitchens. If readers want more recipes, I have thousands posted on FieryFoodsCentral.com, and theres always my book, 1,001 Best Hot & Spicy Recipes.

Please remember that I am writing about the past, not the present, and that things have changed over the decades. Some of the people mentioned in this book are no longer with us, unfortunately, but fond memories of them linger. Some of the countries my wife and I explored are edgy to the point of being dangerous in certain circumstances, so be careful in all the countries mentioned in this book, and especially when visiting Mexico, Jamaica, and South Africa. Travelers are safer if they stay in designated tourist areas and should always try to find locals as guides, even if they have to be hired. Thats the way Mary Jane and I have traveled over all these years and weve never had any problems at all.

We were warned about pickpockets in Rome, narcotraficantes in Mexico, Asian gangs in Cabramatta, Australia, thieves in Belize, and muggers in every large city, but by following a few basic rules, none of the bad guys bothered us. Hang with the locals; dont try to buy any illegal drugs; dont get drunk; dont be loud or call attention to yourself; but do use credit cards; and avoid showing a lot of cash. We had a street-smart guide named Tony in Jamaica who drove us all over the island, and I told him to take us only to restaurants where there were no white faces. No problem, mon, he said, and he was rightthere were none because he was with us. One of our black guides in South Africa was shocked when we invited him to have lunch with us; in Barbados, the same thing was a common occurrence. So be adaptable and go with the flow. If offered a choice between an American breakfast and a local one, choose the latter. Smile a lot wherever you travel, and dont be the stereotyped ugly American.

Because the species names of the Capsicum genus are mentioned so often in this book, Im placing the definitions here for quick and easy reference.

annuumThe name means annual, which of course is inaccurate as chiles are perennials in climates where there are no freezes. The is the most-grown species in the world in both gardening and agriculture, and its varieties are commonly known all over the world. The bells, jalapeos, cayennes, anchos, serranos, New Mexicans, paprikas, and ornamentals are all of the annuum species.

Serrano chiles in the authors garden. Photograph by Dave DeWitt.

baccatumThe species name means berry-like, and it is native to South America, where the varieties are commonly called aj. There are at least two wild forms (varieties baccatum and microcarpum) and many domesticated forms. The domesticated ajs have a great diversity of pod shape and size, ranging from short, pointed pods borne erect to long, pendant pods resembling the New Mexican varieties. They are cultivated in most South American countries.

Aj amarillo in the authors garden. Photograph by Dave DeWitt.

chinenseThis species was misnamed Capsicum chinense in 1776 by Nikolaus von Jacquin, a Dutch physician who collected plants in the Caribbean for Emperor Francis I from 1754 to 1759. Jacquin, who first described the species as chinense in his work Hortus botanicus vindobonensis , wrote, mysteriously, I have taken the plants name from its homeland. He was dead wrong, of courseall capsicums are New World plants. Many people, including myself, believe that the species name should be changed to