There's a huge world of flavors in peppers beyond the "common."

The thick-skinned, no-heat Anaheims sound kinda weird, though...sounds a bit like a sweet Pimento, though they look nothing like an Anaheim.

I'm not a bell pepper fan, myself...so many have been bred out for size and production that so many taste the same. The open pollinated "Orange Bell" (very generic name for a quality bell) is a rather productive + flavorful bell, though it's not a world-changing flavor.

As far as "rich flavored" Anaheim types...New Mexico State has released a "heritage" line of peppers back-bred with older, more flavorful, and slightly hotter seed to enrich the profile of flavors in Big Jim + 6-4 Anaheims. You can find/order them rather easily (make sure you get the "Heritage" versions). They're open pollinated, too, so you can save seed and the peppers should come true to type year after year.

Outside of that, there's a nice world of sweets and low-heat such as Aji Dulce (many types such as #1 and #2) and Jimmy Nardello, though both are rather thin-fleshed. They have a wonderful flavor profile. There's also thicker fleshed varieties such as Yummy (hybrid) with a good flavor profile and Crunch Sweet Orange (only available via trade if you can find someone with it).

Even on the "off the shelf/common/grocery store/mass grown" type mild-heat peppers one can appreciate the differences between an Anaheim, a Poblano, and a Pasilla/Mole pepper. The differences are a bit subtle, but tend to express themselves when roasted or cooked with something else.

Once you get into the super-hots there's a whole new world of flavors under the heat to explore. Myself, I can't get past the heat...even a habanero is too hot for me and some in the super-hot world consider that a "starter" super-hot.

There must be a difference to some extent, since I have a food sensitivity to bell peppers of all colors and ripenesses, but I can eat jalapenos. The best I can describe it that bells have a more pronounced earthiness and slight bitter aspect. Jalapenos are much less earthy and more... Jalapeno flavored? I don't have words to describe what I taste there. Anyway, perhaps it is just that you bought so many that were very very similar to each other. I would expect the bells to taste very similar and the jalapenos to also taste close to each other.

It's funny that you brought this up today, I was just double-checking that my jalapenos and "purple serranos" (seed was sent to me, but these don't seem like serranos in heat or shape) actually taste different. And yes, side by side I could taste a definite difference. If I eat one type in one sitting and the other in another sitting I tend to think they taste more alike. I think peppers that are of the annuum species tend to taste more like each other than they do like peppers of the other species.

But as for why we buy so many seeds, well that's easy! We love plants and all the colors and shapes and sizes and... :)

My favorite peppers are Padron, hands down. They have a distinctively rich flavour, almost okra-like. Heat levels vary from jalapeno-level to no heat at all (so they're a fun party snack).

Thank you to all of you for responding. You encourage me to continue to try new kinds, which honestly is never very difficult for me! :)

I will keep a list and keep trying. Maybe I just need to develop a more discriminating palette...

The good news is I have definitely come to realize this year that as in tomatoes, the worst homegrown pepper is way better than the best store bought one.

RE: Peppers: What's the difference?

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The differences are often subtle. Only trained palates can tell those differences. It It is like wine tasting. Wines made from the same grape variety, at different location, .. different years can make a difference. Pepper is a whole class of culture for itself, like beer culture, wine culture, cheese culture...

Then in the case of sweet peppers, the texture is obvious. Some bell peppers are watery and have little taste. When they ripen to red they get sweet and less watery. The same thing is true about chili (hot) peppers too. There is more than just the heat. . Even there are different kinds on heat.

In the world of bell peppers, I don't notice a whole lot of taste difference to be honest. But the plants can be very different! My grow list this year had King Arthur and Red Knight bells in it and the difference between the two plants in appearance is striking!

But when it comes to hot peppers, the difference is amazing. As my username suggests, I love hot habanero peppers--they are my favorite crop and, this year, my most successful. They have a fresh, fruity kind of flavor to go with their heat. But I have never liked jalapeños. Their taste seems oily to me for some reason.

Angie

@ HotHabaneroLady
I am not a fan of bell pappers either . I like Cubanelle, gypsy, yellow...instead
I also don't like JABs. they are watery and have no flavor ,to me. I prefer serrano in that category. I will grow some fresno next year.

You are right, I also like the fruity flavor of HABs. I like another pepper which has a nice fruity flavor. It is called Manzano( 8000-30000 shu). So all those mentioned are in my grow list.

I am still a student of pepper evaluation and judging.

@seysonn

I'll have to look into Manzano peppers! I'm not familiar with them!

Angie

I have stopped growing sweet bells because I find them to be rather insipid and often bitter when cooked. There are so many wonderful sweet non-bell varieties available out there that I will not miss them in the least.

The Corno di Toro, the Marconi, the Sheepnose Pimiento, the Siling Lara, the Alma Paprika, the Jimmy Nardello - my mouth is salivating as I write this...

To me the Jalapeno has the most unique, identifiable flavor of all the peppers. It is interesting to hear of other's opinions because I actually like the "oiliness" of them and find it to be a positive quality. The varieties that have had the heat bred out of them I find quite flavorless. Homemade stuffed Jalapenos are absolutely delicious, spare me the mass produced, cardboard flavored, store-bought breaded junk.

The Poblano, in a class by itself. Chiles Rellenos. Already been a while, so I think that will have to be on the agenda for tonight's meal. :-)

I can identify chili peppers being cooked a mile away, such a unique pleasant aroma they have during the cooking process. The wonderful diversity of ethnic foods that use the chili pepper - I simply love it all.

Pickled Banana pepper rings...mmmmm.

I grew the Fish pepper for the first time this year. I love the citrusy flavor so much that I added this variety to my yearly "must plant" list.

The Lemon Drop has a wonderful tang to it.

I could identify the flavor of an orange Habanero in a blind taste test.

I find most of the superhots to have a "chemical" flavor that I find unpleasant and distasteful. Still grow them though because they are just so interesting.

Some peppers are great on the grill, some are great roasted or smoked. Some are wonderful in saute. Some are fabulous stuffed. Some are great for fermenting for hot sauce, some are best dried and then flaked or powdered, some are classic when pickled. Omelettes, hot pepper jelly, sauces, salsa. I could go on and on. Really one of the most versatile vegetables out there, I never get bored with them.

And, IMHO, if you haven't grown or tried a Jimmy Nardello pepper yet, you have really been missing out on something (although I find the thin walls to be rather disappointing).

Have a good one,
-Tom

"And, IMHO, if you haven't grown or tried a Jimmy Nardello pepper yet, you have really been missing out on something (although I find the thin walls to be rather disappointing)."

Considering how many people cook and make salads with sweet peppers...Jimmy Nardello and Aji Dulce types (various) are grossly underused in most countries. They're thin, but rather uniquely and richly flavored.

Thanks Tom,. sometimes we have different tastes and preferences, like Jalapeno, that came up.

I have stopped growing bell peppers for more than one reason.
--- Not very tasty and flavorful.
--- They are always available in the produce section, at a reasonable price.
--- Honestly, I could not grow them successfully.
Just this past season , I bough a bell plant with 4 good size tomatoes on it. @ $3.95 I though it is worth trying it. Well, what you know, they were the only peppers all season long it had.

BACK TO POINT>

I have a pepper grow list . Right now all I am lacking is ALMA PAPRIKA. I may try Jimmy Nordella, if I have space for it.