“sticky fruit”), that helps it keep well for
several weeks. The tomatillo remains green
when ripe and has a tart but otherwise mild,
green flavor, a relatively firm and dry texture.
It’s usually cooked and/or pureed into sauces,
with other ingredients adding depth or
strength of flavor. A related species, P.
philadelphica, provides an esteemed purple
version called miltomate.
Capsicums or Sweet Peppers Capsicums,
like tomatoes, are fruits of the New World
that conquered the Old. They were
domesticated in South America, and are now a
defining element of the cuisines of Mexico,
Spain, Hungary, and many countries in Asia
(the countries with the highest per capita
consumption are Mexico and Korea). This
triumph is due largely to the defensive
chemical capsaicin, which activates pain and
heat receptors in our mouths, and which many
human cultures have perversely come to love.