If you’re looking for a unique, local ingredient this summer, give the Maryland fish pepper a try!
While you may never have heard of it, the fish pepper is an integral part of Maryland’s culinary history. The colorful, flavorful pepper was transported to America and landed firmly in the Maryland region and worked its way into the local cuisine. The pepper and the recipes it featured in were almost lost to time, but thanks to a beekeeper we get to continue telling the story of the Maryland Fish Pepper. If you’re looking for a unique, local ingredient this summer, give the Maryland fish pepper a try!
The Fish Pepper Is Beautiful
This variety of chili is often used in landscaping because of its unique look. The leaves of the plant range from green, to white, to a speckled or striated color pattern. The peppers themselves are just as magnificent. They start off as a creamy white color and as they mature they begin to develop stripes, first in green, then orange, then brown, and finally a bold red. As the pepper develops and the color deepens, the spice level increases.
The Fish Pepper Is Quite Hot
While the flavor of the fish pepper changes as it ripens, the final spice level is quite high. It is thought that the fish pepper was developed as a hybrid of cayenne and a serrano. With that in mind, the spice level falls just between the two with the flavor remaining fresh and bright.
The Fish Pepper Was Almost Lost to History
As with many secret recipes, when the fish pepper was first popular it was used in recipes that were hardly ever written down. In the late 19th century, it was brought to the US from the Caribbean and was taken up by the local populations in Baltimore and Philadelphia. At the time, it was commonly used in white sauces at oyster and crab houses where the white pepper was quietly snuck into the dish without much notice. With no recipes written down and the local landscape changing, the fish pepper was almost completely forgotten. Until now!
FISH PEPPER SEASON IS HERE AT BAYWATER FARMS!
Baywater Farms is excited to announce our fish pepper season has begun! We have both great volume and quality that is ready to ship now. We are currently offering fish peppers in bulk pack 10# cases or clamshelled with UPC code for retailers.
At Baywater Farms, we are dedicated to providing you with the freshest, most responsibly grown produce. We serve Baltimore, Washington, DC, the state of Maryland, the beaches of Delaware, and beyond! If you’re looking for the best-tasting produce, contact us today! Reach us by phone at (443) 783-4185. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest! Be our friend on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Google+.