Sweet

(Capsicum annuum) This wonderful pepper comes to us from our friends at Hudson Valley Seed Library in upstate New York and is the product of a long chain of farm-based seed work. Originally disentangled from the hybrid frying pepper “La Paris” at the biodynamic Kimberton CSA in Kimberton, PA, it...

(Capsicum anuum) If you’ve ever seen Edward Weston’s pepper still lifes from the 1920s (if not, you should look them up), this is the pepper subject he dreamed of! A study in organic form and beauty, the 4” fist-sized fruits wrinkle and twist in sinewy ripples and waves. Its thin-walled flesh...

(Capsicum annuum) A 19th-century family heirloom from the Appalachian town of the same name (population 75) in Highland County, VA, Doe Hill reminds us of a sunset orange version of a sheepnose pimento-type mini bell. Averaging about 5 lobes, it has surprisingly thick flesh for its diminutive size and just...

*Not as Rare as it used to be!* (Capsicum annuum) Stroll past a kitchen window in Serbia in October, and there’s a good chance the smell of roasting red peppers’ll greet you. Across the Balkans, fall is the time for making ajvar. This thick, deliciously rich, tangy, savory spread preserves the...

*Ark of Taste Heirloom* (Capsicum annuum) Sweet frying peppers brought to the states in 1887 from the village of Ruoti in Southern Italy. Shiny red, thin-walled, richly sweet, and perfect for roasting or frying (or just nosh them raw and see if you can stop!). Slather them on crusty bread...

(Capsicum anuum) A variety native to Ukraine, 'Lesya' was an absolute knockout for us a few years back, hanging heavy with thick-walled, sweet fruits perfect for roasting or eating raw. The shape is adorable: plump and round with a protruded, pointy blossom end. Look up this variety online and you...

(Capsicum annuum) This popular Polish variety is well-known to European growers. It is a lobed, bell-type producing heavy sets of thick-walled fruit that ripen from green to bright yellow/gold. The compact plants have a good upright habit and don’t generally require staking. We don’t tend to grow many bells anymore,...

(Capsicum annuum) Every season, we get particularly excited about a handful of new varieties, and this unassuming little sweet pepper was recently near the top of that list. A specialty of Bulgaria, this heart-shaped, pimiento-type pepper ripens from green to bright red with very thick walls and wonderful sweet flavor,...

(Capsicum annuum) Hailing from Provence in the south of France, this wavy, thin-walled, orange beauty was one among many of the stars of a pepper trial at the home farm several years ago. Amazing in terms of productivity, it seemed like every time we turned around it had a new...

(Capsicum annuum) A tremendous sweet pepper hailing from the Spanish/Mediterranean Island of Mallorca. Very long, 3 inch wide, 10+ inch long fruits with sweet, thick flesh ripen from pale green to bright red. Traditionally used in the making of Sobrassada (pork sausages) of the islands they are well suited for eating...

(Capsicum annuum) Another gem from Wild Garden Seed, this pepper has caused a stir in the seed world the past couple of years as it bested OPs and hybrids alike in trials on both coasts, for yields and quality. It got the nod and is playing in the big leagues...

(Capsicum annuum) This prolific, thin-walled sweet pepper, introduced in the US by friend and fellow seedsman Mehmet Oztan of Two Seeds in a Pod, is yet another excellent Turkish cultivar from their collection that has found a lasting place in both our farm production and our kitchen. Thin-walled peppers don't...

(Capsicum annuum) We first came across this gem when Lane Selman of the Culinary Breeding Network started throwing "Variety Showcase" events back in 2014(!). Anne Berblinger of Gales Meadow Farm had brought it to feature at her table, and I remember just standing and looking at it, thinking, "Of course!...