Cayenne peppers

Botanically name: Capsicum annuum L. var annuum. The common name ‘cayenne’ was given to this pepper because of its cultivation in a town that bears its name in French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of south America.

The cayenne group, is often called chili or finger peppers, is characterized by long curved pods ranging from 4 to 12 inches in length.

The taste is acidic and tart, is closely related to the Asian bird’s eye chili and has the same level of intense heat.

It is used dry, fresh or processed but its primary use is in hot sauce. Its pungency is great that the removal of veins and seeds is suggested. The aroma is characteristics and pleasant. The taste is sharp, biting and pungent. The cayenne pepper is very irritating, the pungency factor enables the hot peppers to be used partially as replacement for black pepper.

Capsaicinoids are the naturally occurring compounds that give cayenne pepper its pungency.

The principle used are in frankfurters, bologna, Mexican sausage and smoked country sausages. It is also used in India, Indonesian and African cuisine. Although cayenne is native to the tropic, it can grow with a good result in temperate latitude.
Cayenne peppers