Red Bell Peppers

You know the red bell pepper as a vegetable, but technically it’s a fruit since it has flowers. Did you know that red bells are just green bell peppers, but at the ripest stage of their life?

Appearance & Flavor

Red inside and out. The outside should be glossy and smooth-glossiness indicates the pepper’s ripeness. Inside, you’ll find edible,  bitter seeds and a sponge-like core. During the spring and fall, they  are mild and sweet, but in the summer and winter, they take on a  slight peppery flavor along with their  sweetness. Choose bells that are deep in color, give slightly to pressure, feel heavy for their size, and  have no bruises, scars, or  soft spots.

Ways to Enjoy

Dress up your typical salad with a vinaigrette that is anything but typical. Other familiar options include raw, cooked, roasted, pickled, pureed, and stuffed.

Availability & Origin

Red bells are available all year long since they are sourced from different countries. During the summer months, we get them right from  California. For the winter, they grow best in Mexico. In the spring  and fall, they fly in from Holland.

Storage

When ripe, you’ll want to put them in the fridge as soon as possible. Since they need to stay hydrated, keep them whole in the  crisper drawer near a wet cloth for a week-or 10 days if  you’re lucky. If you bring home one that’s not yet ripe,  you can store them at about 70 degrees and they will ripen within the  span of two weeks. If they are cooked, store in an air-tight container  in the fridge for about three days of good leftovers