Cooking with peppers can add interest and depth to your food

Are you a chilehead, someone who puts hot peppers into everything they eat? If not, maybe there is something to be learned from these radical fire eaters. They have learned that peppers can add interest and depth of flavor to whatever is being cooked.

Peppers are not all created equal. There is a huge variety of peppers that are available to the modern cook, everything from the mild Pepperonchini all the way up to the super hot Jolokia pepper. Each pepper along the heat scale has its own character and flavor profile which can be manipulated by combining multiple varieties to come up with something very new and interesting.

The key is to start off slowly by adding a few peppers to your culinary toolbox. Use the peppers sparingly until you understand how the heat and particular flavor effects your dishes. Once you become comfortable with a few, begin to add more and you will be rewarded by a new depth of flavor and interest.