Peppers are not to be confused with pepper, the spice that we grind and use as a seasoning. Peppers grow on a shrubby plant in the nightshade family and come in many varieties categorized as either sweet or hot.

Local Green Bell peppers become available from New York farms in July.. Bell peppers aren't just green. Purple, red, yellow, orange and chocolate-colored varieties add some delightful alternatives to green. They represent the mature stage of green peppers and contain higher levels of sugar, beta-carotene and vitamin C than the less mature green stage.

Sweet pepper types include: bell, banana, cubanelle, and pimento. Since banana peppers resemble their hot relative, the Hungarian wax pepper, it's wise to taste them before using in cooking. The cubanelle is a long, slender and tapered pepper that is usually pale green or yellow, and occasionally red. Sweet peppers can be grown in our state if grown from transplants.

Some common names of hot (chile) peppers include: Anaheim, ancho, cascabel, cayenne, cherry, habanero, Hungarian wax, jalapeno, poblano, scotch bonnet, serrano, and Thai hots. Most of these are also available from New York growers.

Check out your region's GUIDE TO FARM FRESH FOODS** for locations of U-pick farm and roadside stands.

Eating - Now That's Easy!
Peppers should be washed just before using them and before coring or cutting them. Since the seeds of sweet peppers can be bitter, they should be removed. Sweet peppers, sliced and served raw plain or with a dip make a refreshing, tasty, nutritious, beautiful addition to a summer meal. Cut into rings, strips, or diced, fresh sweet peppers are excellent in salads. They also work very well stir-fried, steamed, baked, sauteed or microwaved.

PASTA TUTTO GIARDINO [Tutto giardino means "the whole garden" in Italian. This recipe used with permission from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks At Home by the Moosewood Collective, Simon & Schuster, NY, NY, 1994.]
11/2 cups chopped onions	2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves,minced or pressed	2/3 cup dry white wine
1 medium carrot, diced	3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 red or green bell pepper, diced	pinch of oregano
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, diced	1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (1 teaspoon dried)
salt & ground black pepper	1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (1 teaspoon dried)
Roux: 3 tablespoon Butter 1/4 cup unbleached white flour 11/2 cups milk(whole or 2%) 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 pound broad pasta noodles, or shells grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas 2 teaspoon. fresh lemon juice (optional)
In saucepan, sauté onions, garlic, and carrots in olive oil. Stir . When onions are translucent, add bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, basil, marjoram, oregano, salt, and pepper, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in wine, cover, simmer , until vegetables are tender. While vegetables are cooking, bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil.
To make the roux: melt butter in a small heavy saucepan. Whisk in flour, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk, whisking constantly until sauce thickens. Cover and set roux aside. When the pasta water boils, stir in pasta, cover until water returns to a boil. Uncover pot and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. While pasta cooks, stir tomatoes and peas into simmering vegetables, cook for about 2 minutes, stir in roux. Adjust seasonings. For more tang, add lemon juice. Drain cooked pasta and place in a warmed serving bowl. Ladle sauce on pasta and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Value
Peppers are highly nutritious. By weight, green bell peppers have twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit. Red bell peppers have three times as much. Per quantity, hot peppers are even richer in vitamin C. (But since they are consumed in small quantities, their nutrient contribution is usually minimal). Peppers, especially red colored peppers are rich in carotenoids as well. Is the heat good for me? There is some evidence that the heat in hot peppers may provide some health benefits. Capsaicin - the most prominent of the capsaicinoids - has been found to have anticoagulant properties, and thus may help prevent heart attacks or strokes caused by a blood clot.

Best Way to Store
Store fresh sweet peppers unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. The length of time peppers keep will vary depending on the variety with green peppers keeping somewhat longer (over a week) than red or other ripe peppers (up to a week). Peppers that have developed soft spots should be used immediately.
The best way to store fresh hot peppers is wrap them in paper towels rather than in plastic before refrigerating because moisture will cause them to decay. They will keep refrigerated for several weeks.

Dried hot peppers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four months; or longer if refrigerated.

Selection
Regardless of the type, when selecting them, peppers should be well shaped, firm, and glossy. The skin should be taut and unwrinkled, and their stems fresh and green. Bell peppers should feel heavy for their size because they are best when the walls of this fruit vegetable are thick and juicy. For hot peppers that are green, select for dark color and shiney appearance.

Hold the Capsaicinoids! Don't forget to ask about the hotness of these peppers - which can range from mild to fiery. Some of the smallest and most innocent-looking ones can pack quite a punch. Hot peppers contain a group of chemicals called capsaicinoids which are responsible for the peppers' heat. There are several types of these substances - some of which will give an instant hot and others will give you that "creeper" hot which slowly builds and lingers taking the eater by surprise. Remember, the capsaicinoids that set your tongue on fire can also burn your eyes and sensitive or broken skin on your hands and face.
Whenever handling the seeds and inner membranes of hot peppers, it is extremely important to take precautions to avoid handling them extensively, or touching your eyes or nose after cutting the peppers. Wash hands with soapy water immediately after working with hot peppers.
The same goes for handling dried hot peppers. Most of the capsaicinoids occur around the seeds and in the part of the fruit where seeds are attached. Removing these parts intact you can reduce the heat of the pepper and still retain the flavor.
Maturity of the fruit, soil, climate, maturity and other conditions all affect the amount of capsaicinoids in a pepper, so peppers of the same variety - even those from the same plant - can differ in degree of hotness.

**Fresh Now From NY Farms is a new series of informational press releases from Cornell Cooperative Extension, designed to help consumers choose New York fruits and vegetables in season and incorporate them into a healthy diet. Please inquire about local growers who may provide these seasonal fruits and vegetables in your area. For more information on these articles or on eating seasonally and locally, please contact Anu Rangarajan (Department of Horticulture, Cornell University) or Jennifer Wilkins (Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University), or visit our websites: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/faculty/rangarajan/veggie/freshnow/index.htm http://www.human.cornell.edu/dns/foodguide/