The chili or pepper is a hollow fruit that is produced from a herbaceous plant which has the same name. This belongs to the Solanaceae family, specifically to the Capsicum genus. The Solanaceae are a family that includes approximately 75 genera and some 2,300 species of plants that produce toxic alkaloids, among which we can mention the belladonna, mandrake and henbane. Solanaceae are very scarce that can be consumed by human beings and among them is the pepper, which is very important in the diet. In Mexico it is undoubtedly the countrywhere it is most used. This vegetable can be of various colors and shapes, and is widely used in gastronomy as it not only adds a touch of color and flavor to foods, but also has great health benefits.
The pepper plant was brought to Mexico during the expeditions carried out by the Spanish conquerors, according to the opinion of several experts, it agrees that they arrived on the trip that Christopher Columbus made to America in the year 1493. But despite this the native Americans already knew the plant and its fruit with the name of chili, but the Spanish and Portuguese renamed it with the name pimiento and pimiento de Brasil.
For its part in Spain it began to be cultivated in the 16th century, then these crops spread to Italy and France to finally be distributed throughout Europe and the world.
Today, the pepper plant is produced in several places in America, among which Mexico, Bolivia and Peru stand out. For its part, the varieties of pepper are classified into two large groups which are distinguished according to their flavor between sweet chilies and hot chilies.
En primer lugar están los pimientos dulces: éstos pueden ser rojos, amarillos o verdes, con tamaños y formas muy variables. Conformando a este grupo se encuentran al pimiento morrón y el dulce italiano por solo nombrar a algunos de los más resaltantes. En segundo lugar se ubican los pimientos picantes, siendo los más populares, el pimiento del piquillo, Gernika y Padrón.
