What Was the Mexican Chili Pepper, "Jalapeno" Named After?

 

The jalapeno is a chili pepper pod cultivar of the genus Capsicum annuum that is medium in size. A ripe jalapeño chili measures 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in length and has a round, firm, smooth flesh that measures 25–38 mm (1–11+12 in) in width. It can have a pungency range of 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units. It is commonly harvested and consumed when still green, but it is also allowed to fully mature and turn red, orange, or yellow on rare occasions. It has a larger range of flavors and is often milder than the Serrano pepper.

The ripe red jalapeño is known as huachinango, while the chile gordo, also known as cuaresmeo, is another name for the jalapeño . The name jalapeño comes from the Spanish word Xalapa (sometimes written Jalapa), which refers to the capital of Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally grown. The name Xalapa comes from the Nahuatl language.