While bold, fiery, and sometimes divisive, chili peppers are delightfully timeless. They’ll never go out of style! They’re also incredibly versatile, complementing cuisines from all over the world. Plus, in addition to their jam-packed flavor profiles, they can provide a full sensory experience – from tingling lips to flushed cheeks and more. If you want to craft the ultimate custom label hot sauce or perhaps a sizzlingly spicy marinade, our creative culinologists can help you bring your ideas to life. When you’re ready to begin sifting through some premium pepper options, scroll down for an around-the-world tour of some of the hottest peppers on the market today – everything from jalapeño peppers and Thai chilis to Scotch bonnets, Infinity Chilis, and even Chocolate Habaneros!Bearing a strong resemblance to the familiar sweet bell pepper, the Rocoto pepper tastes like an apple and tomato hybrid with a lively bit of spice that may catch you by surprise! Originating in the Andes Mountains in Peru, the Rocoto thrives in cooler temperatures. Use this adaptable pepper to add a distinct new flavor to your tried-and-true menu items. Try roasting these peppers and stuffing them with savory beef and cheese. Or, blend them into a marvelous marinade for juicy shrimp – yum!To infinity and beyond! The Infinity Chili is an engineered pepper that hails from the United Kingdom, and its name is quite fitting: its spiciness lingers, starting as a light burn and slowly building to a blazing heat. And yet, the Infinity Chili is also sweet and fruity and has the power to make any dish pop. Roast it and blend it into a fiery hot sauce, but be careful – a hint too much of this chili could light a long-lasting fire on your tastebuds!A fan-favorite in Mexican cuisine, the jalapeño can provide an excellent introduction to spicy food. In fact, you could call it a “gateway pepper.” Beyond its spice, this versatile pepper also offers bright, grassy, and bitter notes that can enhance a variety of dishes. Enjoy pickled jalapeño on a pulled pork taco, stir diced jalapeño into guacamole, or create a deliciously subtle jalapeño hot sauce that won’t overwhelm the flavor of your dish.Originating in the Caribbean, the Chocolate Habanero is a cultivated pepper boasting an interesting brown color, vivacious flavor, and a unique name. Its fruity sweetness contrasts with earthy and smoky notes. But don’t be fooled by its inviting name! Although it shares the name “habanero” with another famous pepper, it carries twice the heat! Add it to a lively Caribbean jerk marinade or go bold with a white chocolate habanero ice cream! With this pepper’s power to pair well with both sweet and savory applications, the possibilities for custom sauces are endless.Closely related to the infamous ghost pepper, the Naga Morich originated in Northeast India and Bangladesh. Its heat packs a punch, so tread carefully! It starts slow and gradually grows, catching many off guard. But if you’re game for a little adventure, the vibrant fruity and floral flavors of the Naga Morich are ideal for an exciting custom label hot sauce. Or if you’re up for a truly daring dessert, sprinkle minced Naga Morich into brownie batter and wait for a veritable explosion of flavor!Known to Chileans as “Cacho de Cabra,” this pepper’s horn-like shape inspired its name. The Mapuche people have cultivated and grown this pepper for centuries, commonly using it to make the traditional seasoning Merkén, which provides an enticing smoky flavor and mild heat. Blend this seasoning into a spicy sauce for a porchetta sandwich or use it to bring fresh and mildly spicy flavor notes to a lamb curry.Italian cuisine is no stranger to spicy peppers! While the Calabrian chili’s flavor profile is predominantly spicy, it also carries salty, smoky, and fruity flavor notes. Anyone who loves Italian food has likely enjoyed these red-hot peppers dried, pickled, or even stuffed and submerged in olive oil. And when mashed into a paste known as “Bomba,” Calabrian chilis can add a spicy kick to your favorite pasta, pizza, or even popcorn!The Thai have a saying: “Mai phet, mai arroy” – “If it isn’t spicy, it isn’t tasty!” Clearly, they understand the power of spicy peppers! Thai chilis vary in color from green to orange and red, and they carry a fruity yet undeniably spicy flavor. Traditionally used in dishes like pad thai or laab, Thai chilis also work beautifully in scrumptious sauces like a sweet-and-spicy chili lime sauce for coconut shrimp or a savory garlic soy sauce for spring rolls.Originating in the Mexican state of Tabasco (which is actually not the home of Tabasco sauce!), Pequin peppers are widely used in salsas, soups, vinegars, and pickling applications. Despite their tiny size, these peppers pack a punch of heat as well as citrusy, nutty flavor. Stir a fresh pepper into salsa for some lively spice, or use a dried and smoked Pequin pepper in a marinade to jazz up your next Taco Tuesday.Also known as “bonney peppers” or “Caribbean red peppers,” Scotch bonnet peppers are named after their resemblance to Scottish tam o’ shanter bonnets. Ubiquitous in West Africa and the Caribbean, these peppers pair well with a variety of foods due to their sweet, tropical flavor. Although they’re most often seen in jerk marinades used to flavor chicken or pork, you could also use them in a peach pepper jam to pair with brie or as a refreshing mango salsa to top grilled fish. You might smile at their funny shape, but you can’t deny they bring the heat!
From the Mediterranean and the Caribbean to Thailand, West Africa, and Mexico, chili peppers have made an indelible mark on almost every global cuisine. With their bold flavors and distinctive heat, they hold substantial power. The key is to add just the right amount of heat to your dishes – and that’s where we come in. Our culinologists can help you develop custom flavor solutions that offer the perfect blend of flavor and heat. And once you’ve chosen the perfect pepper for your new hot sauce, the Giraffe Foods team will help you transform your idea into reality. Not only can we help you craft a tantalizing new custom label hot sauce, but we can also assist with personalized hot sauce labels, personalized hot sauce bottles, and more. Are you ready to create the fiery new flavors of tomorrow?
