When the Bell Peppers are Sweetly Ringing

Locally grown bell peppers from Fry Family Farm.

Sweet, crunchy, and boldly colored, the bell pepper is a versatile summer vegetable. With origins in Central America and South America, the Europeans were not introduced to the bell pepper until Columbus brought them back from his adventures in 1493. Like many other culinary vegetables, the bell pepper, also called a sweet pepper, is actually a botanical fruit belonging to the Capiscum genus in the nightshade family. Unlike its spicy cousins, the bell pepper is the only Capiscum that does not produce capsaicin. Capsaicin is the naturally occurring chemical compound responsible for the burning sensation caused by hot peppers like jalapeños and habaneros, hence why the bell pepper is so mild-mannered in its absence.

Bell peppers are available in a variety of colors: green, yellow, orange, red, brown, white, lavender, and dark purple. Green peppers are sometimes called unripened bell peppers because the fruit would eventually turn yellow, orange, or red if left to mature longer on the plant. Due to their immaturity, green peppers tend to be a little bitter and lack the sweetness associated with red peppers. The extra time it takes for the red color and sweetness to mature comes with a heftier price tag, too, which you’ve probably noticed when you’re out shopping for produce. Regardless of color, a bell pepper is composed of about 92% water and chock full of vitamins and antioxidants.

Grilled, roasted, marinated, charred, pureed, stuffed, baked, jellied, or raw – you can do anything with a bell pepper. Now let’s get cooking:

Charred Pepper Tacos
Chicken Fajitas on the Grill
Kale and Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet
Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing
Grilled Eggplant Napoleon
Roasted Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant Over Soft Polenta
Meatless Moroccan Stuffed Peppers
Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
Asparagus and Bell Pepper Quiche
Goat Cheese and Bell Pepper Omelet
Grilled Goat Cheese Crostini with Roasted Peppers

Swing by the Co-op and you’ll find bell peppers year-round, but the best and most beautiful are the sweetly ringing, locally-grown, in-season bell peppers you can find in the produce department this time of year!