Spice Station Silverlake

Named after Jalapa, the capital of Veracruz, Mexico, these smooth, dark green (scarlet red when ripe) chiles range from mildly hot to very hot. Jalapeños are quite popular because they’re so easily seeded (the seeds and veins are extremely hot). In their dried form, jalapeños are known as chipotles.

These versatile chiles are generally used in Chinese cookery. Japones have a dry, tip-of-the-tongue heat that make them perfect for your kung pao, General Tso-style creations. This chile is similar in appearance to the de arbol. Though the walls of the japones are thicker.

The flavor resembles somewhat like sweet roasted peppers. It also has a nice level of heat. It can be added to soups and stews. It makes a great addition to Mexican chili or any kind of meat dish. Very hard to find, this pepper only grows in a region that once was shared by Turks and Armenians called Marash.

In Spanish Chile morita means small blackberry pepper. The morita peppers are smoked jalapenos like the chipotle peppers, the difference is that the morita is often made from a smaller variety of ripe red jalapeno. Just crush a few and add to soups, Mexican food dishes, and sauces.

Used extensively in Southwestern cuisine, the whole pods are often seen in decorative chile bundles called ristras that have become the symbol of New Mexico. Pureed in traditional sauces, combined with tomatoes or tomatillos, in stews, soups and casseroles you won’t spend a half hour in Santa Fe without running into these versatile chiles. Convenient crushed form.

Used in tamales and quesadillas, and can be interchanged with the poblano in many instances. In Spanish, pasilla means little raisin, and this pepper is so named because of its deep black color and raisin like aroma. It is mild with a smoky flavor.

Negro is an elongated, flat chile, measuring 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. The pasilla’s wrinkled body curves into an arc. The color of this pepper is dark purple-black; similar to the color of an Eggplant or a Raisin. This thin fleshed chile has a berry flavor with herbaceous tones. Use it in traditional Mexican recipes. Be adventurous and add it to meat loaf, beef stew or corn chowder. Great in sauces, salsa and soups. This chile is a flavorful ingredient for cream sauce dishes.

Its name means small, and refers to the tiniest chiles – which are usually among the hottest. There are many varieties, some round and some conical. Others are called Bravo, Mosquito, Pequeno, Turkey Pepper, Grove Pepper, and Pring-kee-new, Birds Eye, Chilpequin and Chiltipiquin.

This is similar to the guajillo chile, only smaller and more potent. It has a fruity flavor that’s good in stews, soups, dips, chutneys, casseroles, cooked vegetables, use as a seasoning for salsas and sauces. Add flavor to breakfast burritos, tortilla soup and to fish entrees.