c is for cubanelle

Dear cubanelle,

I'm sorry I misjudged you. I didn't include you in a recipe because I thought you were going to be spicy like a jalapeño.

The first way you tripped me up was your appearance. You are light green, long and skinny (and oddly shaped like a crocodile head, in this photo). Usually when I eat a long, skinny, green pepper, my mouth heats up like a fiery stove and I have to drink copious glasses of milk just to ease the pain.



The other thing that tripped me up was your name. Cubanelle. Don't you think it sounds a little hot and spicy? Not even a little? The first time I saw your name, I thought of Latin American salsas, humid days and nights, and...jalapeños. And since the Bean has an especially sensitive palate for "spicy" food, I don't think you can truly blame me for being reticent.

I admit, I could have taken a minute or two to look you up on the Internet. Especially since I am online at least once a day. But I have two small children, and only so many items on my mental to-do list can fit in my brain at any given time. When I did actually take the time to look you up, I discovered that you are part of the sweet pepper family. The descriptions also say that you can range in colour from red to yellow. When I actually did my own taste test, you were sweet like a regular pepper, but not as fleshy on the inside. Like you've been dieting. But other than that, I felt there was not much of a difference between you and a regular green pepper. So I have to look elsewhere to figure out what would have made that meal taste better (Should I blame the onions??)

So there you have it. I was wrong, and I apologize. My horizons have been expanded. I now know the truth about cubanelles.