Peppadew
Peppadew is the trademarked brand name for sweet piquanté peppers (Capsicum baccatum) grown and pickled in South Africa, offering mild heat around 1,177 SHU, sweet-tangy flavor, and versatile culinary uses in a convenient packaged form.
Peppadew peppers are the pickled form of a sweet piquanté cultivar of Capsicum baccatum, a species native to South America but commercially developed in South Africa. These small, cherry tomato-sized peppers feature bright red skin, thick juicy flesh, and a round shape about one inch across. When processed, they are hand-deseeded and packed in a proprietary sweet and tangy brine that accentuates their natural fruity sweetness while imparting a mild piquant kick of around 1,177 Scoville Heat Units. This makes them far milder than common hot peppers like jalapeños yet more flavorful than bell peppers. Their crisp texture and balanced sweet-spicy-tangy profile make them a favorite for direct snacking, often stuffed with cheese, or incorporated into salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and appetizers. Grown under strict agricultural guidelines in the Limpopo province, the peppers are harvested at peak ripeness for optimal flavor and consistency.
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Backstory
Discovered in the early 1990s by Johan Steenkamp in the garden of his holiday home in Plettenberg Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa (on land previously owned by a botanist). He propagated the seeds on his farm in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, secured plant breeder's rights, founded Peppadew International in 1995, and trademarked the name 'Peppadew' for commercial pickled products. The pepper has since become popular worldwide.
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A delightful mix of natural sweetness and mild fruity heat, amplified by the signature sweet-tangy pickling brine that adds zest and crunch.
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