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 The cherished chile pepper is native to the Americas, but it has earned a starring role in cuisines from Thailand to Texas. When the Spanish arrived in Central America at the end of the 15th century, they observed Native Americans using the brightly colored chiles as food and in offerings for the gods.
Since the fiery flavor of chiles resembled that of black pepper, the Spanish called the chiles 'pepper.' Once Europe and the rest of the world had a bit of their bite, demand for the flavorful fruits soared. Today over 200 varieties of chile peppers add sweetness, spirit and spice to favorite foods around the World.
Sidebar: ChilE or ChilI?
The spelling chile is the common name used in Mexico for both the sweet and spicy peppers. In the United States we see both chile and chili used to describe the various kinds of peppers. Throughout this site, we use the Mexican spelling for consistency.
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