Where do red pepper flakes come from?

There are two main varieties of red peppers sweet and hot. The first type is milder and perfect for many dishes, while the second is hotter and great for adding spice. The seeds of the mild peppers are most often used to make red pepper flakes, which are then dried and ground into a powder. Hot peppers are generally used to make hot chili sauce, which is used in Asian and Indian dishes.

Where red pepper flakes are made in Italy?

The most famous red pepper flakes are produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. This region has a large variety of red peppers and is rich in the right soil conditions for growing them. It is here where the native variety of the red sweet peppers known as “ peperoncini are grown. These peppers are dried and made into red pepper flakes.

What is red pepper powder?

Also known as dried red chili, this spice is made from ground chili peppers. The spice is used to add a fiery kick to soups, stews, meat, and even vegetables. To make your own red pepper powder, you can dry whole chili peppers and grind them into a powder.

What is red pepper flakes used for?

Another misconception about red pepper is that they are used for flavoring food. While the seeds of red peppers do contain small amounts of capsaicin, red pepper flakes are actually made from dried and ground hot red chili peppers. This gives red pepper flakes a pungent, biting flavor that provides an extremely flavorful kick to foods.

Where did red pepper start?

There is some speculation that the cultivated red chili pepper is one of the world's first domesticated crops, although archaeological evidence is spotty. The first domesticated chili peppers may have been developed in the Americas by pre-Columbian Native Americans. The Aztecs and Mayans used chili peppers in their healing and religious rituals. The ancient Greeks and Romans used red chili peppers to spice their food.