A staple seasoning in Mexican, Asian, Indian, and Southern American cuisine, this medium-hot pepper rates somewhere between 20,000-50,000 units on the Scoville Scale. This relative of the chili pepper was originally used in South and Central America, then was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus in the late 1490s or early 1500s. Since then, this “all-purpose seasoning” of the pepper world has become widely used in kitchens around the world.

Cooking Notes

• Comes in a 2 oz. package
• As far as heat index goes, this is fairly mild for a cayenne.
• Add a pinch to a pot of beans, egg dishes, fried chicken, savory sauces, or mac n’ cheese for a little kick to your favorite dishes.
• Few Mexican dishes are complete without some cayenne. Try some in your enchiladas, tacos, and fajitas.
• Excellent in curries and spicy Thai soup.
• Sprinkle some on your favorite savory dishes as though it were salt. But not too much! A little bit goes a long way with this spice! It’s easier to add more and impossible to take it out.
• Some believe that it is beneficial for boosting metabolism and lowering blood pressure.