Our Specialty Hot Peppers In an average growing season we have anywhere from 15 – 20 varieties of hot peppers and 2-5 ornamentals growing at Rancho Bella Vista. Although we grow a host of different varieties, many are primarily held in reserve for making our processed products. We don't necessarily have on hand large amounts of fresh pepper in wholesale quantities. Ancho The Ancho, also called poblano is a relatively mild chile pepper originating in the State of Puebla, Mexico. Dried it is called an ancho chile. While poblanos tend to have a mild flavor, occasionally and unpredictably a poblano can have significant heat. Different peppers from the same plant have been reported to vary substantially in heat intensity. One of the most popular peppers grown in Mexico, the plant (of the species Capsicum annuum) is multi-stemmed and can reach 25 inches in height. Anaheim An Anaheim pepper is a mild variety of chili pepper. The name "Anaheim" derives from a farmer named Emilio Ortega who brought the seeds to the Anaheim, California area in the early 1900s. They are also called California chili or Magdalena, and dried as chile seco del norte. The chile "heat" of Anaheims typically ranges from 500 to 2,500 on the Scoville scale however, many varieties grown in New Mexico can reach 4,500 to 5,000 Scoville units. New Mexican cultivars were developed in the state by Dr. Fabian Garcia about 100 years ago. These cultivars are "hotter" than others in order to suit the tastes of New Mexicans in their traditional foods. Bell Pepper - (Red, Orange, Green and Yellow) Bell pepper or sweet pepper is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum annuum (chili pepper). Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow and orange. The fruit is also frequently consumed in its unripe form, when the fruit is still green. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as "sweet peppers". Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. The colors can be green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely, white, rainbow (between stages of ripening) and purple, depending on when they are harvested and the specific cultivar. Green peppers are less sweet and slightly more bitter than red, yellow or orange peppers. Big Jim The cultivar, 'NuMex Big Jim' has smooth green foliage with small white flowers. The Pod color begins as green and matures into a rich red. Largest New Mexican Pepper. Pod is thick, pointed and measures up to 12 inches long by 2.5 inches wide. Mild taste. C. annuum is very diverse since it includes both hot and sweet peppers but common to most are smooth green leaves and strong branches. It is thought to have originated in Bolivia or Southern Brazil. Cayenne The cayenne pepper is named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others. The Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The fruits are generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper. Cayenne is used in cooking spicy dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Sichuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. Chile de arbol The Chile de árbol (Spanish for tree chili) is a small, but potent Mexican chili pepper which is also known as bird's beak chile and rat's tail chile. These chilis are about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) long, and 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch (0.63 to 0.95 cm) in diameter. Their heat index is between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville units. The peppers are a bright red color when mature. Chile del monte These SPECIAL RESERVE peppers are grown wild throughout southtexas and mexico. Our chiletepins are picked and gathered on a private farm just across the Rio Grande from Mexico, these little peppers having been growing wild in the desert for ages. People in the local area refer to these chiles as "Chile del Monte" (chile from the mountains) but they are of the Chiltepin variety which we know as Tepins. Guajillo Guajillo chile (chile guajillo in Spanish) is a variety of chili pepper of the species Capsicum annuum, which is widely used in the cuisine of Mexico. The guajillo chilli's thin, deep-red flesh has a green tea flavor with berry overtones. Its fruits are large and mild in flavor, with only a small amount of heat (rating 2,500 to 5,000 on the Scoville scale). They are used to make the salsa for tamales; the dried fruits are seeded, soaked, pulverized to a thin paste, then cooked with salt and several other ingredients to produce a thick, red, flavorful sauce. Habanero The habanero chili (Capsicum chinense) is one of the more intensely spicy species of chili peppers of the Capsicum genus. It is sometimes spelled (and pronounced) habañero—the diacritical mark being added as a hyperforeignism.[2][3] Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Typically a ripe habanero is 2–6 centimetres (0.8–2.4 in) long. Habanero chili peppers are rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale. Jalapeno A ripe jalapeño is 2–3½ inches (5–9 cm) long and is commonly picked and sold when still green. It is a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum originating in Mexico. When mature, the plant stands two and a half to three feet tall. Typically a plant produces twenty-five to thirty-five pods. During a growing period, a plant will be picked multiple times. As the growing season ends, jalapeños start to turn red. The peppers can be eaten green or red. Jalapeños have 2,500 - 8,000 Scoville heat units. Compared to other chilis, the jalapeño has a heat level that varies from mild to hot depending on cultivation and preparation. Mirasol Mirasol means 'looking at the sun' in Spanish and describes the erect nature of the pods which grow on a compact plant. The pods are 3 to 5in in length and can be used both fresh and dry. Conical in shape and medium hot measuring about 5,000 scoville heat units, these peppers have a unique flavor with a hint of fruitiness. This thin-skinned pepper can vary more than any other chile in looks, and therefore may be hard to recognize. Sometimes small, sometimes large, smooth or wrinkled, it is quite inconsistent.. Pepperoncini Pepperoncini (or peperoncini) are a variety of the species Capsicum annuum, like bell peppers and chili peppers. They are also known as Tuscan peppers, sweet Italian peppers and golden Greek peppers. While called peperoncini in American English, in Italy these particular kind of peppers are called friggitello (plural friggitelli) or more generally peperone (plural peperoni) like other sweet varieties of peppers, while the term peperoncini (singular peperoncino) is used for hotter varieties of chili peppers.[1] The Greek varieties are sweeter and less bitter than the Italian varieties grown in Tuscany. Pequin Pequin (or Piquin or Penguin) pepper (pronunciation: pee/puh-KEEN) is a hot chile pepper, also known as "bird pepper", that is commonly used as a spice. Pequin has a compact habit growing typically 0.3 - 0.6 meters tall, with bright green, ovate leaves and small fruits that rarely exceed 2 cm in length. Like most chiles, fruits start out green, ripening to brilliant red at maturity. Pequin peppers are very hot, often 7-8 times hotter than jalapeños on the Scoville scale (30,000-60,000 units). Flavor is described as citrusy, smoky, and nutty. Serrano The serrano pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a type of chili pepper that originated in the mountainous regions of the Mexican states of Puebla and Hidalgo. Unripe serranos are green, but the color at maturity varies. Common colors are green, red, brown, orange, or yellow. When pickled they are known as a sport pepper. Their flavor is crisp, bright, and biting, notably hotter than the Jalapeno pepper they resemble, and they are typically eaten raw. Its Scoville rating is 10,000 to 25,000. Thai The bird's eye chili plant is a perennial with small, tapering fruits, often 2-3, at a node. The fruits of most varieties are red, some are yellow, purple or black. The fruits are very pungent. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish white. Taxonomically, it has long been thought that the bird's eye chili belongs to Capsicum frutescens L.,but there are now some who list the bird's eye chili as belonging to Capsicum chinense. The bird's eye chili is small but packs quite a lot of heat. At one time it was even listed as the hottest chili in the Guinness Book of World Records but other hotter varieties of chili have since been identified. It measures around 50,000-100,000 Scoville units which is at the lower end of the range for the hotter Habanero chili. The Scoville scale (below) is a measure of the heat of a chile pepper. The fruit of the Capsicum genus contains capsaicin, a chemical compound which stimulates heat-receptor nerve endings in the tongue, the number of Scoville units indicates the amount of capsaicin present in the fruit. Scoville Units Chile Pepper Heat Range Sweet Bell 0 Pimento 0 Cherry 00 ~ 500 Pepperoncini 100 ~ 500 El-Paso 500 ~ 700 Santa Fe Grande 500 ~ 750 Coronado 700 ~ 1,000 Espanola 1,000 ~ 2,000 Poblano 1,000 ~ 2,000 Ancho 1,000 ~ 2,000 Mulato 1,000 ~ 2,000 Pasilla 1,000 ~ 2,000 Anaheim 500 ~ 2,500 Sandia 500 ~ 2,500 NuMex Big Jim 500 ~ 2,500 Rocotillo 1,500 ~ 2,500 Pulla 700 ~ 3,000 Mirasol 2,500 ~ 5,000 Guajillo 2,500 ~ 5,000 Jalapeno 2,500 ~ 8,000 Chipolte 5,000 ~ 8,000 Hot Wax 5,000 ~ 10,000 Puya 5,000 ~ 10,000 Hidalgo 6,000 ~ 17,000 Serrano 8,000 ~ 22,000 Manzano 12,000 ~ 30,000 Shipkas 12,000 ~ 30,000 De Arbol 15,000 ~ 30,000 Jaloro 30,000 ~ 50,000 Aji 30,000 ~ 50,000 Tabasco 30,000 ~ 50,000 Cayenne 30,000 ~ 50,000 Santaka 40,000 ~ 50,000 Super Chile 40,000 ~ 50,000 Piquin 40,000 ~ 58,000 Yatsafusa 50,000 ~ 75,000 Haimen 70,000 ~ 80,000 Chiltecpin 60,000 ~ 85,000 Thai 50,000 ~ 100,000 Tabiche 85,000 ~ 115,000 Bahamian 95,000 ~ 110,000 Carolina Cayenne 100,000 ~ 125,000 Kumataka 125,000 ~ 150,000 Jamaican Hot 100,000 ~ 200,000 Birds Eye 100,000 ~ 225,000 Tepin (Wild) 100,000 ~ 265,000 Devil Toung 125,000 ~ 325,000 Fatalii 125,000 ~ 325,000 Orange Habanero 150,000 ~ 325,000 Scotch Bonnet 150,000 ~ 325,000 Choclate Habanero 300,000 ~ 425,000 Red Savina Habanero 350,000 ~ 575,000 Dorset Naga 800,000 ~ 900,000 Naga Jolokia 800,000 ~ 1,001,300 Pure Capsaicin 15-16,000,000