Chile De Arbol Essay

Like all other chile peppers, chile de arbol originated in what is now Latin America. Christopher Columbus found out about chile peppers while seeking a route to Asia for the black pepper trade. It is believed that chile peppers were being cultivated by Mesoamericans as early as 5000 BC. Along with being used as a seasoning for food, they used chile peppers to fumigate their houses. Portuguese trade routes are to be credited for the spread of chile peppers throughout the world including to Asia.

Chile de arbol was first documented by a naturalist named Francisco Hernandez who was also the King of Spain's court physician. Sent to study the New World, Hernandez compiled 16 volumes on the plants found in Mexico. According to his writings, the name chile de arbol comes from a Nahuatl word and translates to treelike or woody and
Both are commonly ground and powdered. Chile de arbol is one of Mexico's iconic chile peppers and is especially important to the food culture in the Mexican state of Jalisco, though they are cultivated in other parts of the country. Chiles de arbol are also called pico de pajaro, which means bird’s beak. These chiles are also used in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, the chile de arbol is known as the bird’s eye chile.

Flavor Profile of Chile de Arbol Powder
Chile de arbol is considered a moderately hot pepper. It is closely related to the cayenne pepper and is slightly milder in heat. Its Scoville ranking is between 10,000 and 30,000 Scoville Heat Units. They have a bright, clean flavor accompanied by mild herbal notes that set them apart from cayenne peppers. Their flavor (aside from the heat) can be likened to that of bell peppers.

Health Benefits of Chile de Arbol Powder
All chile peppers are good sources of very important nutrients. The health benefits that come from chile de arbol powder are the result of it containing compounds