Florina Pepper
The Florina Pepper is a sweet, horn-shaped red pepper native to the Florina region of northern Greece. Renowned for its rich sweet flavor, thick flesh, and deep red color when ripe, it is a protected Greek specialty often roasted and stuffed or preserved in oil. It holds Protected Designation of Origin status since 1994.
The Florina pepper is an elongated, slightly curved red pepper resembling a cow's horn, typically 15-20 cm long and 4-5 cm wide. It begins green and ripens to a vibrant deep red after mid-August. The skin is glossy, smooth, and firm, with thick pale red flesh encasing a hollow cavity of small flat round cream-colored seeds and a long semi-thick bright green stem. Botanically a variety of Capsicum annuum, it was introduced from Brazil to Greece in the 17th century. Experimental cultivation occurred in regions including Prespes, Veria, Aridaia, and Kozani, but only the unique soil and climate of Florina allowed successful adaptation, establishing it as the sole producer. In 1994 it received Protected Designation of Origin recognition from the World Trade Organization. In Greek cuisine the peppers are celebrated for their sweet taste and versatility. They are traditionally roasted over charcoal or fire, hand-peeled to retain natural flavors, and stuffed with rice, ground meat, feta cheese, shrimp, or vegetables in dishes like gemista. Additional uses include fresh salads, sauces, pasta, meat recipes, or mashed into a traditional pâté. They are commonly preserved in jars with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and vinegar for year-round availability and are exported globally in canned forms. Nutritionally they excel as a source of vitamin C and antioxidants while providing vitamins A, E, K, potassium, iron, manganese, and dietary fiber. The plants grow as low leafy bushes in the Solanaceae family on well-drained fertile sandy-loam soils with pH 6.0-7.0 and full sun. Optimal growth occurs at daytime temperatures of 20-26°C and nighttime 14-16°C. Harvest spans late summer into fall over up to 18 weeks. An annual Feast of the Pepper festival is held in the village of Aetos, Florina, featuring music, traditional recipes, and celebrations.
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Backstory
The Florina pepper traces its roots to seeds brought from Brazil to Greece in the 17th century. It was cultivated experimentally in several Macedonian regions but only flourished in Florina due to the area's unique soil and microclimate. This led to Florina becoming the sole producer. The pepper's quality and regional specificity earned it Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in 1994 by the World Trade Organization. Today it remains a cultural and economic staple, with an annual feast held in Aetos, Florina, featuring music, traditional recipes, and celebrations.
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Reach out →Flavor
A rich, sweet flavor with notes of bell pepper but greater intensity and depth from its thick walls and regional adaptation.
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