Presilla - Peppers of the Americas: the remarkable capsicums that forever changed flavor

RESOURCES

GENERAL INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL SOURCES

Peppers of the Americas

peppersoftheamericas.com

This is my online supplement to this book, with links to additional sources for supplies, tools for the pepper kitchen, updates on current research, and travel highlights.

SEEDLINGS

The Chile Woman

thechilewoman.com

Hoosier Susan Wasland (aka the Chile Woman) has been in the pepper-growing business for 25 years, growing her plants organically with a method that she describes as Hoosierorganic. I especially love the Latin American selection, which shows her penchant for flavorful as opposed to overly hot peppers. I have had excellent late-season results with her panca and aj amarillo peppers (as good as any that you can buy in the Andean region). She is meticulous in her packing, so plants arrive strong, healthy, and ready for battle.

Cross Country Nurseries

chileplants.com

Owner Janie Lamson was my first pepper- gardening inspiration. Her vigorous seedlings consistently arrive in perfect shape and are carefully labeled, with clear instructions on how to best start the plants in the ground or transplant them into bigger pots. She also sells fresh peppers beginning in September each year (check for availability).

First Coast Technical College AgriScience

fctc.edu/news/peppers-for-sale

To order dtil plants for shipment during the growing season, contact the dedicated gardeners of this agricultural college.

SEEDS

The Chile Pepper Institute

chile.nmsu.edu

This celebrated center, devoted to chile breeding and improvement as well as genetic research, has an online shop that offers books and seeds of Suave Habanero and other NuMex varieties developed at the institute.

Native Seeds/SEARCH

nativeseeds.org

The Tucson-based Native Seeds/SEARCH is a heritage seed bank founded by plant researcher and environmentalist Gary Paul Nabhan. If you are interested in starting chiltepines from reliable seed, this is an excellent source. The enticing, informative catalog also offers seeds of various Mexican and Southwestern chiles as well as a fascinating range of other desert food plants.

Pepper Joes, Inc.

pepperjoe.com

Pepper Joes is a reliable source that focuses on exotic peppers and superhot varieties such as Bhut Jolokia and Carolina Reaper.

Refining Fire Chiles

superhotchiles.com

This is the site of Jim Duffy, a grower who achieved cult status among fans of superhot peppers by introducing horticulturist Paul Bosland of the Chile Pepper Institute to seeds of the fabled Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, a 2012 Guinness World Recordbreaker. Specializing in superhots, Jim sells both quality seeds and seedlings.

Seed Savers Exchange

seedsavers.org

Seed Savers is a purveyor of heritage seeds with a mission to preserve bio-diversity though a process of participatory preservation. They are an excellent source for the hard-to-find heirloom Bull Nose Pepper seeds.

FRESH PEPPERS

Happy Quail Farms

happyquailfarms.com

Farmer David Winsberg is passionate about peppers and sells his crops at several San Francisco Bay Area farmers markets and online. This is my favorite long-time source for high-quality various- colored bell peppers, Padrn peppers, chile manzano, red rocotos, and the best fresh aj amarillo I have found in the US (check late in the season). A pioneer in Padrn pepper cultivation, he grows them in large quantities for retail stores and restaurants, though you can order just a couple of pounds (or a kilo) for home use.

DRIED PEPPERS/PEPPER POWDER

Despaa

despanabrandfoods.com

Spanish pimientos choriceros, ora peppers, jarred guindillas in vinegar, Spanish paprika, paella pans, and more are available at Despanas Soho-neighborhood retail shop and online.

La Tienda

tienda.com

La Tienda sells a range of Spanish peppers, jarred guindillas and pimientos del piquillo, dried ora peppers, and quality Spanish paprika. They are also a good source for traditional paella pans and accessories and short-grain rice for arroz a banda and paellas.

Zocalito Latin Bistro

zocalito.com

Zocalito is a source for high-quality rare Oaxacan chileschilhuacle, smoked pasilla de Oaxaca, chilcostle, taviche, and morepersonally sourced by chef/owner Michael Beary.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Albrecht, Elena et al. Genetic diversity in Capsicum baccatum is significantly influenced by its ecogeographical distribution. BMC Genetics 13 no. 1 (2012): 115.

Alegra, Francisco Abad. Pimientos, Guindillas y Pimentn: Una Sinfona en Rojo. Gijn, Sp.: Ediciones Trea, 2008.

Andrews, Jean. The Pepper Trail: History and Recipes from Around the World. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 1999.

________. Peppers: The Domesticated Capsicums. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1984.

Ayala, Vargas, and Helmer Dagoberto. Le ik: Los chiles en Guatamala. Guatemala City: Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala Facultad de Agronomia, n.d.

Berdan, Frances F., and Patricia Rieff Anawalt. The Essential Codex Mendoza. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1997.

Bird, Junius B. The Preceramic Excavations at the Huaca Prieta, Chicama Valley, Peru. Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, 62 pt. 1 (1985): 1294.

Borges, Karla Morais et al. Caracterizao morfoagronmica e fsico-qumica de pimentas em Roraima. Agro@mbiente On-line 9 no. 3 (2015): 292299. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18227/1982-8470ragro.v9i3.2766

Bosland, Paul. W, and Danise Coon. Novel Formation of Ectopic (Nonplacental) Capsaicinoid Secreting Vesicles on Fruit Walls Explains the Morphological Mechanism for Super-hot Chile Peppers. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 140, no. 3 (2015): 253256.

Bosland, Paul W. et al. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper is the Worlds Hottest Measured Chile Pepper at More Than Two Million Scoville Heat Units. HortTechnology 22, no. 4 (2012): 534538.

Bosland, P.W., and E.J. Votava. Peppers: Vegetable and Spice Capsicums. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing, 2000.

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________. Brevsima relacin de la destruccin de las Indias. Madrid: Ediciones Ctedra, 1984. [Completed in 1542.]

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Chanca, Diego Alvarez. Letter of Dr. Chanca on the Second Voyage of Columbus. American Journeys Collection, Document no. AJ-065. Wisconsin Historical Society Digital Library and Archives, 2003. www.americanjourneys.org.

Chiou, Katherine, and Christine A. Hastorf. Capsicum spp. at the Preceramic Sites of Huaca Prieta and Paredones, Chicama Valley, Peru. UC Berkeley McCown Archaeobotany Laboratory Reports, 74. University of California, Berkeley: Archaeological Research Facility, 2012.

________. Documenting Cultural Selection Pressure Changes on Chile Pepper (Capsicum baccatum L.) Seed Size Through Time in Coastal Peru. Economic Botany 68 no. 2 (2014): 190202.

________. Pachacamac, Peru, Archaeological Capsicum Seed Analysis. UC Berkeley McCown Archaeobotany Laboratory Reports, 82. University of California, Berkeley: Archaeological Research Facility, 2015.