On a whim, I stopped by a local Latino Market today here in Trenton, and found the most beautiful Manzano Amarillo! They're huge, heavy and they are tasty. I'm going to save seeds from these. Hopefully they are viable!
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pubescens Beautiful Manzano Amarillo From a Local Market
- Thread starter NJChilehead
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Stuffed peppers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Illustrates nicely the origin of the name manzano (manzana = apple). The manzano is originally from Michoacán, although it is produced in other states as well these days.
Funny that you mention that, last night I was scrolling through their site to compare the shape of their Manzanos with the ones that I found, and I noticed that as well about the Gelbe Riesen.
@ahayastani hope you don't mind some questions but this is a great opportunity for me to learn from you! Referring to Michoacan, was the Manzano domesticated there, or is that historically the main point of production? Also, how much variability do you see in Mexican Manzano peppers? I've always wondered if they came in a variety of shapes, sizes and heat levels like Rocotos do. I believe that there are Mexican C. pubescens known as Peron (and maybe one other name that I'm forgetting) but I didn't know if that was just regional names or if they were different cultivars.
Thanks for any info that you can share. I've recently become fascinated with C. pubescens and would really like to learn all that I can about them!
My book (Capsicum y cultura, Janet Long Solís) only has a reference to a 1979 article by Eshbaugh, who claimed that Capsicum pubescens was introduced into Mexico as late as the XXth century (I have no access to that reference). Its production is local/regional. It is distributed in high altitude regions from South to Central Mexico. Here in Chiapas, we also have a lot of pubescens, but shape and taste are different from the typical manzano (their form resembles this rocoto sold by the Merles). It's even called jalapeño here... I've seen a lot of pubescens in Oaxaca as well. They call it chile canario (yellow, as you can probably imagine) and its shape is somewhere between the Chiapas varieties and the manzano.
Perhaps "domesticated" is not the appropriate term. Even though pubescens is not cultivated on a large scale here, it is not a semi-wild like chiltepín. Locals have a plant (or a few plants) and sell into local markets. Manzano is the only variety that has been selected for genetic improvement and large-scale production. I sometimes spot it in the supermarket, and they never sell local produce.
Names: (chile) manzano and (chile) perón. In Michoacán also known as chile de cera and here in Chiapas as jalapeño.
I thought I once posted a picture of some chile canario I bought in Oaxaca, but apparantly I never did. I checked my archives and - lo and behold - here it is (Oct 2023):
Perhaps "domesticated" is not the appropriate term. Even though pubescens is not cultivated on a large scale here, it is not a semi-wild like chiltepín. Locals have a plant (or a few plants) and sell into local markets. Manzano is the only variety that has been selected for genetic improvement and large-scale production. I sometimes spot it in the supermarket, and they never sell local produce.
Names: (chile) manzano and (chile) perón. In Michoacán also known as chile de cera and here in Chiapas as jalapeño.
I thought I once posted a picture of some chile canario I bought in Oaxaca, but apparantly I never did. I checked my archives and - lo and behold - here it is (Oct 2023):
I would add that at a taxonomic level C. pubescens is related to the wild species C. eximium and C. cardenasii, of Bolivian origin. It was probably "domesticated" millennia ago by populations from these Andean areas or from Peru, given the findings in the Peruvian caves of Guitarrero dating back to 10,000 years ago.
Reading here and there, I found this beautiful photo
My book (Capsicum y cultura, Janet Long Solís) only has a reference to a 1979 article by Eshbaugh, who claimed that Capsicum pubescens was introduced into Mexico as late as the XXth century (I have no access to that reference). Its production is local/regional. It is distributed in high altitude regions from South to Central Mexico. Here in Chiapas, we also have a lot of pubescens, but shape and taste are different from the typical manzano (their form resembles this rocoto sold by the Merles). It's even called jalapeño here... I've seen a lot of pubescens in Oaxaca as well. They call it chile canario (yellow, as you can probably imagine) and its shape is somewhere between the Chiapas varieties and the manzano.
Perhaps "domesticated" is not the appropriate term. Even though pubescens is not cultivated on a large scale here, it is not a semi-wild like chiltepín. Locals have a plant (or a few plants) and sell into local markets. Manzano is the only variety that has been selected for genetic improvement and large-scale production. I sometimes spot it in the supermarket, and they never sell local produce.
Names: (chile) manzano and (chile) perón. In Michoacán also known as chile de cera and here in Chiapas as jalapeño.
I thought I once posted a picture of some chile canario I bought in Oaxaca, but apparantly I never did. I checked my archives and - lo and behold - here it is (Oct 2023):
@ahayastani thank you so much for the info! This is really interesting to me, and that Chile Canario is quite beautiful.
Do you find different and unique flavors with the different morphologies and colors that you find around Chiapas and Oaxaca?
Regarding the pubescens that you are finding in Chiapas being more similar to the Rocoto shape that you referenced, I wonder if these are similar or synonymous with the Chile de Caballo from Guatemala (considering the proximity of Chiapas to Guatemala). I've looked into the variability of Chile de Caballo but can't find much info on them.
I noticed Chile de Cera sounds phoenetically a bit like Chile de Seda. Also wondering if they are synonyms?
I would add that at a taxonomic level C. pubescens is related to the wild species C. eximium and C. cardenasii, of Bolivian origin. It was probably "domesticated" millennia ago by populations from these Andean areas or from Peru, given the findings in the Peruvian caves of Guitarrero dating back to 10,000 years ago.
Reading here and there, I found this beautiful photo
Thank you @SatanicFlatIron ! That picture is awesome-good find!
Yes, but I suspect that the different climate types have a strong influence on their taste. Oaxaca is relatively dry, often receiving less than 1000mm rain/year. Chiapas is humid and truly tropical. Mountain areas can receive 4000-5000mm rain/year. Local pubescens peppers are just super-crunchy.
Cera = wax, seda = silk. I've never heard people using the term "chile de seda", nor "rocoto" for that matter. But Mexico is a big country, I can only speak for the regions I know.
I'll probably go to the local market in the weekend, so I'll grab a few peppers to show you. I'm not surprised you won't find any information about chile de caballo. Science and investigation in Guatemala is even in a more deplorable state than in Mexico.
@ahayastani thank you again! I look forward to seeing those peppers, and hearing about how they taste for you!
Here you go... Red and yellow are the only colour I've spotted so far. Typical for local varieties is the protrusion on the stem end. From the same vendors, 3 peppers for $5, so this is $20 (~US$1) worth of crunchiness
.They're beautiful! Were these from a market in Chiapas?
Here you go... Red and yellow are the only colour I've spotted so far. Typical for local varieties is the protrusion on the stem end. From the same vendors, 3 peppers for $5, so this is $20 (~US$1) worth of crunchiness
Here in Argentina Rocoto and Locoto is used for the fruits of tbd pubescens.
I hope to travel to Mexico some time. For the chilli culture there.
They're beautiful-you're fortunate to be able to get them fresh!
I agree!
You'll have to travel a lot though, the chile landscape is very diverse. Larger cities have the advantage that produce from the region is brought in, so you'll always find something. Markets of smaller towns can carry some truly local stuff.
I returned to google maps and found the vendors (next to the plastic plates)
. They're the only market vendors that always have some pubescens. Zoom in screenshot:Modern technology, wow...
Great picture! Love how its all covered!You'll have to travel a lot though, the chile landscape is very diverse. Larger cities have the advantage that produce from the region is brought in, so you'll always find something. Markets of smaller towns can carry some truly local stuff.
I returned to google maps and found the vendors (next to the plastic plates)
Modern technology, wow...