Cayenne

The Cayenne, or Guinea pepper, or Bird pepper is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others. The Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

The fruits are generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper.

Cayenne is used in cooking spicy hot dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Sichuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. It is also used as a herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his book Complete Herbal.

Cayenne pepper is considered to be misnomer by the American Spice Trade Association, which prefers the more generic term red pepper. Generally speaking any of a number of peppers are called cayenne.

Most cultivated varieties of Cayenne Capsicum annuum can be grown in a variety of locations and need approximately 100 days to mature. Peppers prefer warm, moist, nutrient-rich soil in a warm climate. The plants grow to about 2–4 feet of height and should be spaced three feet apart.

Chilis are mostly perennial in sub-tropical and tropical regions however they are usually grown as annuals in northern climates. They can be overwintered if protected from frost and require some pruning.

Cayenne is a popular spice in a variety of cuisines. It is employed variously in its fresh form, dried and powdered, and as dried flakes. It is also a key ingredient in a variety of hot sauces, particularly those employing vinegar as a preservative.

Cayenne contains a pungent resin-like substance known as capsaicin. This chemical, the active ingredient of pepper spray or mace, relieves pain and itching by affecting sensory nerves. Capsaicin temporarily causes various neurotransmitters to release from these nerves, leading to their depletion. Without the neurotransmitters, pain signals can no longer be sent. The effect is temporary.

Cayenne (Capsicum frutescens or Capsicum annuum)is a Flavon (USDA reference http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/Flav/Flav02-1.pdf page 68) and as such is a vasodilator (page 1 same reference) (it causes your blood vessels to open).

Cayenne pepper is used commonly as a thermogenic and to improve blood circulation and general circulatory health.

Capsaicin, potentially derived from Cayenne Pepper, is used in the production of pepper spray, as employed by police, military, and security personnel.

Scoville Rating: 30000-50000

African Birdseye

African birdseye (or African devil or African red devil) is a cultivar of the chili pepper that grows both wild and domesticated. It is a small and extremely spicy member of the capsicum plant genus.

The plants are usually very bushy and grow in height to 45-120 centimeters, with leaves of 4-7 cm length and 1.3-1.5 cm width. The fruits are generally tapered to a blunt point and measure up to 2.5 centimeters long. Immature pod color is green, mature color is bright red or purple. Some varieties of birdseye measure up to 175,000 Scoville Heat Units.

Piri-piri, peri-peri or peli-peli is the name used in Mozambique and Angola to describe the African bird's-eye chili. The variations in spelling derive from the various pronunciations of the word in parts of Africa, although "piri-piri" is the correct spelling in Portuguese.

In Mozambican cuisine, piri-piri is often used in preparing sauces and marinades for roast and grilled dishes, especially chicken and various fish. Piri-piri is widely used in a vast number of dishes of Portuguese cuisine.

Nando's, the Portuguese-themed chicken restaurant, originated in South Africa from Portuguese who left Mozambique after the independence in 1975. The chain uses piri-piri in many of its dishes, and helped popularise them worldwide. The company, however, prefers the common South African spelling peri peri on its menus and branded sauces.

In Northeastern Brazil the pepper is known as the malagueta (a term also used in Portugal, but generally for bigger varieties of chili), and it is by far the most common pepper found in both the food and the markets of the region. It is commonly used as an ingredient in the cuisine of Bahia, and as a condiment in the rest of the Northeast.

This is the hot East African sauce made from dried and soaked piri-piri chillies that is a staple condiment used to accompany many East African soups and stews. Though the origin of this sauce is probably Portuguese, it is now well established as a popular East African condiment and is considered an essential accompaniment to any meal in many households.^{[citation needed]}

Piri-piri sauce is also the name given in Portugal to most hot sauces, especially those created with piri-piri. Another explanation for the naming of the piri piri sauce is that it originated from the Gujarati term piri piri, meaning very yellow, in reference to the color of the sauce in the former Portuguese Indian colonies of Daman and Diu. The yellow color of the sauce was imparted by a combination of chilis and turmeric.

Scoville Rating: 50000-175000