Have you ever heard of Padron peppers before?
These little green treats, originating from a small town in the northwestern region of Galicia, Spain, are known as the Russian Roulette of peppers. Why is this?
Well, legend has it that you never know whether one of these small, bite-sized peppers is going to be spicy or not. In fact, there is even a saying in the local Galician tongue that goes:
Os pementos de Padrón,
Uns pican, e outros non.
This roughly translates to: “Padron Peppers: some are spicy, and some are not!”
The explanation of this phenomenon is that the spiciness quotient of each individual pepper depends on several factors that work together if a given pepper is going to be mild or burn your mouth.
Peppers that receive less water and more sun are more likely to end up being spicier than the majority of them. While only 10-25% of these peppers end up being hot enough to be considered spicy, it’s always a nice surprise to bite into one and realize that you’ve gotten lucky with a capsaicin-loaded treat!
These peppers are popular in Galicia and throughout Spain, where they are often fried in olive oil and then topped with kosher salt. Would you be brave enough to give them a try?
