THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Bell Pepper

Lisa Karen Miller

“Any Southerner will tell you that the miracle of the loaves and fishes was the only church supper in history that didn’t include fried chicken.”

Rick McDaniel, An Irresistible History of Southern Food

          Though they may not share their exact recipe with you, many Southern cooks will tell you that the secret ingredient which gives their fried chicken that extra zing is paprika, made from the more pungent varieties of sweet red peppers.

          I have discovered smoked paprika recently. If you haven’t tried it, do yourself a favor.  Excellent on mac and cheese, deviled eggs, or pasta salad.

          Bell peppers, Capsicum annum, come in a variety of shades. Contrary to popular belief, the yellow, orange, and red are not immature versions of the green bell pepper.  Rather, the color depends on the variety that was planted.  All of them start out green, then green ripens to green, yellow ripens from green to yellow, and so on.

          There are also some curious myths floating about as to the gender of bell peppers.  Some think that the number of lobes at the bottom tell you the secret. Those with four lobes are female, and those with three are male, they firmly believe. They will also tell you that the four-lobed ones are sweeter. In fact, sweetness isn’t at all affected by the number of lobes. Next time you’re in the produce aisle though, watch people checking.

          In fact, no fruit has gender.  A plant may be male or female, but this is not the case with the bell pepper. They have perfect (meaning complete) flowers, which have both male and female reproductive systems.

          Therefore, the bell pepper doesn’t identify with either gender.

          Bell peppers contain an amazing amount of vitamin C – 169% of the recommended daily intake in just one fruit. They also contain vitamins A, B₆, E, and K, along with folate, iron, and potassium. The vitamin C aids iron absorption, so they are effective in preventing anemia.

          Since the more colors you eat, the more phytochemicals and antioxidants you get, including a rainbow of peppers in your diet makes healthy eating a cinch.

          Many Hungarians believe peppers protect them from the evil eye and even vampires. They place them under the pillows of women in childbirth. The sweet pepper has been called their “soul plant.” Paprika is in fact their national seasoning, used in goulash, salami, and schnitzel.

          Wouldn’t they be surprised to learn it’s a secret ingredient in our soul food?

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller