Peppers are an essential ingredient to good cooking and whilst many people believe that they can only detract from a dish by becoming overpowering, they are in fact a key ingredient to many dishes such as soups and or curries.
Therefore, it is vitally important that you know all you can about different types of peppers and what they are best used for. Once such pepper is the Bishop’s Crown.
If you know how to properly use the Bishop’s Crown, then you will be certain to be able to become a truly great chef. This piece will explain the history and use of the Bishop’s Crown so that you can use it exactly as you need to.
What Is The Bishop’s Crown Pepper?
First of all, let’s explain what the Bishop’s Crown Pepper is. It’s important to know where the Bishop’s Crown comes from in order to properly know how to use it.
Like many other peppers, the Bishop’s Crown originates in South America though it is most commonly associated with Barbados which is where Spanish and other European traders encountered it.
The name comes from the pepper’s similarity to a bishop’s cap which can sometimes be known as a bishop’s crown, hence the pepper’s name.
A bishop’s cap is also sometimes known as a bishop’s bell meaning something the pepper is referred to as a bell chili.
During the 18th century the Bishop’s Crown began to be imported from Barbados to Europe where it was grown as an enticing and inviting addition to the range of fruits and spices that were used in Spanish cooking from then onwards.
As the Bishop’s Crown is a member of the Capsicum baccatum it has a tendency to grow in a much neater way because its pod hangs down rather than up unlike some other peppers. This means that it is easier for you to pick the peppers as well as grow them because they are easier to keep in one, clean regulated line.
Now that we’ve explained where the Bishop’s Crown comes from and how it began to be used by Europeans, let’s take a look at how you can use the pepper in cooking.
How To Use A Bishop’s Crown When Cooking
The Bishop’s Crown can be a hot pepper for the uninitiated. It is rated, based on the rating of hotness provided by the Scoville Heat Units measurements of heat, as being between 5,000 and 30,000 SHUs (Scoville Heat Units).
To put this into perspective, Tabasco Pepper scores between 30,000 SHUs and 50,000 whilst the Thai Pepper scores between 50,000 SHUs and 100,000 SHUs.
So, whilst the Bishop’s Crown is hot, it isn’t the hottest pepper out there. This means that unlike other peppers which will often overwhelm the other flavors included in a meal, the Bishop’s Crown pepper is unlikely to take any taste away from your other ingredients.
Bishop’s Crowns are best used in dishes which need an extra bit of life to them – they are particularly excellent when turned into salsas to use with meals that you might think need an extra bit of spice to them. As the Bishop’s Crown isn’t too spicy then you will likely feel that they are a great choice.
Why You Should Give Bishop’s Crown A Go
Bishop’s Crown is an excellent pepper. The reason is that the combination of a fresh, almost citrus like taste with the delicious heat and intensity of a true pepper.
Whilst the Bishop’s Crown might not be the hottest pepper in the world it is certainly one of the tastiest and well worth being included in any recipe you decide to make.
