Q - When Christopher Columbus discovered America (Ha!) What did he ask the locals for, peppers or chile?

A - "The truth" about chili's / peppers.

The Nauhautl Indians from Central America were the first to call the plant -CHILLI- From there Christopher Culumbus (CC) and others continued with their versions of the truth. Good ol' CC dubbed the "newly discovered plant" pepper- and so the chile plant was now introduced to the Old World as Pepper. He thought it was (genus)-" piper nigrum" the seasoning most of us on our dinner tables next to the salt.

The Italians agree with this approximate timetable and agree that it originated in Central America.

Anthropologists have found evidence that the Chilis probably migrated from the Amazon region in South America many thousands of years ago. The First probably in the form of small berries.

Q - How do I take the heat out of the peppers?

A - Remove the "innards" (seeds and veins) by scrapping them out with a knife or spoon. The seeds by themselves are not where the "Hot" (Capsaicin) is concentrated. It is in the "stuff" that surrounds the seeds and attaches them to the pod.