Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

Serrano Vs. Habanero: PepperScale Showdown

Bold meet bolder (times two)… Serrano and habanero chilies are growing in popularity among mainstream grocers. But beyond the obvious size and color differences, what do you need to know? How different are these two chilies really? Does one trump the other in heat? Are the flavors …

Ghost Pepper Oil

by Matt Bray

Scorching hot… This is one simple, yet super-hot recipe. Ghost pepper oil can bring a layer of sun-like fire to your cooking. Whether you want to use it alone (or as a base) for a simple bread dip or as the fiery marinade for your next delicious …

Capsicum Chinense: The Hottest Peppers On Earth

by Matt Bray

Capsicum chinense is the species behind the habanero, the scotch bonnet and every world-record holder for heat. How to identify it by the collar on its calyx, where it stops and frutescens begins, and why a pepper from the Amazon is named after China.

Bishop’s Crown Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

What are bishop’s crown peppers? Few hot peppers have as distinctive a look as the bishop’s crown pepper. Its shape is unique yet familiar – looking like, you guessed it, a bishop’s crown. Its look – along with its ease to grow, eatable medium heat (5,000 to …

Aji Panca Paste

by Matt Bray

A mild Peruvian chili paste made from aji panca, sweet and berry-like with a smoky undertone. Great in marinades, stews, eggs and tacos.

Capsicum Baccatum: The Species Behind Most Peruvian Aji Peppers

by Matt Bray

Capsicum baccatum is the species behind aji amarillo, lemon drop and bishop’s crown. How to spot one by the spots on its flowers, why not every aji belongs to it, and how hot and how fruity it gets.

Capsicum Annuum: The Species Behind Most Peppers You Eat

by Matt Bray

Capsicum annuum is the biggest of the five domesticated pepper species, covering bell peppers, jalapenos, cayenne and most of the produce aisle. How to identify it, how hot it gets, and where it came from.

Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce

by Matt Bray

Tangy sweet raspberries and smoky chipotle peppers are a dynamic duo of big flavor. We love the pairing in this spicy BBQ sauce recipe, and we double down on the sweet, smoke and spice with brown sugar and smoked paprika. It makes a delicious glaze …

A small glass bowl of glossy sweet chili sauce flecked with chili, garlic and carrot, next to golden egg rolls and a lime wedge on cream linen

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

by Matt Bray

A homemade sweet Thai chili sauce with sugar, rice vinegar, garlic and sambal oelek. Sweet, tangy and mildly hot, it’s ready for egg rolls, wings and glazes in about 15 minutes.

Genus Capsicum: The Classification Of Peppers

by Matt Bray

Whether you’re biting into a sweet and juicy bell pepper or turning up the heat with a fiery habanero, you’re no stranger to the plant genus Capsicum.

Capsicum has been cultivated and consumed for thousands of years. In an incredible number of ethnic dishes around the world, peppers are an essential ingredient for truly authentic regional flavors as well as adding heat to just about any type of food imaginable.

But what’s the difference between a pepper and a chili pepper? Is a chilli something other than a chile and thus also different from a chili? Spelling aside, Capsicum by any other name is still just that; Capsicum.