‘Candy cane pepper’ the term sounds interesting and creates a curiosity to learn more about it, right? I too felt the same when I first saw them in the farmers market. I was literally curious and wanted to know more about it too.
And not to mention that, this is a beginners guide for candy cane pepper-sharing the knowledge that I have acquired during my search(like this cherry pepper, jalapenos).
Likewise, if you are here, you know my fascination towards the peppers. And this candy cane pepper is one such sweet encounter in my pepper journey.
What is candy cane pepper?
These papers are also called ‘candy cane chocolate cherry peppers’ and ‘candy cane sweet peppers' by pepper enthusiasts.
This is a hybrid and crossbred pepper variety that looks like a bell pepper but with strips and in an elongated form.
Recently, this striped pepper has been gaining popularity among gardeners and pepper cultivars.
The matured candy cane pepper has stripes that are similar to the candy canes, and no wonder how it got its name.
This has stunning and visually appealing outer skin. The matured pepper tastes sweet and fruity, with bold, peppery flavors.
The history
It was developed by the Pan American seeds company. This pepper is versatile, it's excellent for edible purposes and for ornamental purposes as well.
A non profit organization called National garden bureau(established in 1920) awarded Green thumbs up to this candy cane pepper for the year of 2022. Its uniqueness, appealing to the gardeners are the two important factors that made them eligible for this award.
I got these from the Farmers market in Pennsylvania. The peppers were sweet with no heat but a fresh and herbaceous flavor.
How does it look?
They look similar to bell peppers with 3-4 lobes on the bottom side, with thick flesh and glossy skin. The young candy cane peppers look green with the golden yellow stripes on the lengthwise.
As they mature, they turn into red peppers with deep chocolate stripes. This grows to a maximum of 2-3 inches in length and about 1-1.5 inches on the shoulder. Once they mature entirely, they are completely transformed into a deep red color.
How does this pepper taste?
This pepper tastes fruity with a rich peppery flavor—more similar to the bell peppers with unnoticeably mild heat. The matured candy cane peppers taste more intense and complex, with a bright fruity and pepper flavor.
The heat
These peppers are estimated to have the same heat level similar to the bell peppers.
The pepper’s heat may vary according to the season and color. Did you know that peppers from the same plants differ in their heat level minimally? This universal rule applies to these candy cane peppers as well.
Candy cane pepper Scoville
These peppers belong to the family of sweet mini peppers. And considered a sweet pepper. Its heat level measures between 0-100 Scoville heat units of heat level.
Candy cane pepper seeds
Pan American seeds. This is a hybrid seat, and getting sees directly from the cultivars is highly advisable to ensure those gorgeous stripes.
Candy cane vs bell pepper
These candy cane peppers are considered to have similar flavor profiles to bell peppers. However, they differ greatly in shape, size, and color.
The bell pepper usually measures 2-3 inches in height and 2-3 inches in width. The candy cane peppers measure 2-3 inches tall and 1-1.5 inches on the shoulders.
However, the structure, thick flesh, clustered seeds, and glossy skin of both peppers remain the same.
Uses
No matter what type of candy cane pepper you use for your cooking-whether from the market or your backyard. For sure, it becomes a favorite one for your family.
These peppers are good to use wherever the bell peppers are used.
Stuffed peppers. These peppers have a large inner chamber that provides more room for the stuffing(like eggplant stuffed peppers and chickpea stuffed peppers).
Salsa. The robust flavors make them taste excellent.
Grill. Toss these candy cane peppers in the grill along with your meat; the peppers mellow to a smoky flavor that infuses the grilled or barbequed meat.
Salad. It is good to add them raw or roast them for intense flavors.
Substitute. It is an excellent substitute for poblano peppers, banana peppers, and cubanelle peppers.
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