General Information
Jalapeno pepper pods have a slightly curved, conical shape and come to a blunt end at their tip. A petite pepper on average they measure two to three inches in length and one inch in width. Their smooth, bright to dark green skin will ripen to a vivid red when the peppers are fully mature. More mature peppers will also exhibit characteristic cracks near their stem end. This streaking is also known as “corking” and is a pepper characteristic sought after in Mexico but not so much in the United States. The crisp and juicy flesh of the Jalapeno pepper offers a vegetal flavor and a spicy bite with heat increasing as the pepper peaks in maturity. It’s Scoville rating ranges between 2,000 and 10,000 units.
History
Originating in Mexico, the Jalapeno has been in Mexican markets since the sixteenth century. Named for the city of Jalapa in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, there are four main types produced in Mexico; Morita, Espinalteco, Tipico and Peludo. In Mexico commercial cultivation comes predominately out of northern Veracruz, Chihuahua (specifically Delicias), and the Lower Palaloapan River Valley in the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca. Its popularity in the United States as a commercially produced pepper has grown significantly since the 1980’s with New Mexico and Texas providing the bulk of production. Varieties that thrive in the United States are the TAM Jalapeno and Early Jalapeno.
