Cayenne Chile Powder (30,000 SHU)

“Cayenne” has become synonymous with “spicy hot” in the US, with good reason. This Cayenne Chile Powder has an aggressive heat that greets you right up front, and then lingers. It has a pungent aroma and a flavor that’s almost a little dusty but fades quickly so the heat stands front-and-center, making the peppery capsaicin load the star of the show.  The beautiful orange-red cayenne chiles measure between 30,000-45,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), and while we have culturally begun to embrace peppers that dare you to eat them, Cayenne Chile Powder delivers a satisfying bang that’s good for everyday use.

The cayenne chile is a well-traveled pepper. It originated in the country of French Guiana, located on the northern coast of South America. Christopher Columbus wrote about them during his expeditions around the Americas, and brought them back to Spain as part of his bounty. Cayenne peppers quickly gained popularity, not just in Spain but across Europe and into the east. That is largely thanks to trade with Portugal. The Portuguese trading routes were well-established, and these were among the first spicy peppers Portuguese colonizers brought to India, who then turned the cultivation of hot peppers into a trading empire of their own.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Cayenne chile powder is a key ingredient in a variety of hot sauces, especially those that use vinegar as a main ingredient or preservative. Add cayenne to tortilla soup for a little extra heat. Stir into ketchup for fries you’ll keep coming back for. Make Cajun-style deviled eggs with a healthy dose of cayenne in the mix, or sprinkle on top of omelets for a breakfast kick. Make an adventurous pasta salad with Cayenne Chile Powder, and add to chocolate truffles or cashew brittle for some sweet heat to end your meal.

Our Cayenne Chile Powder (30,000 SHU) comes from cayenne chiles grown in India.

This product is certified kosher.

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