CHILLI/PEPPERS

Chillis and peppers (peperone)  Peppers (capsicums) were so called by Columbus in his confusion after having discovered the Americas, rather than his target East Indies. They are varieties of berry-fruit plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to add pungency (spicy heat) in many cuisines