Rocotillo

Description

The Rocotillo is a small mild Capsicum chinense pepper native to Peru and the Caribbean producing round squat pods resembling miniature habaneros that ripen from green through orange to red with a sweet fruity flavor and minimal heat of only 1,000-2,500 SHU. Despite its Capsicum chinense genetics and habanero-like shape it lacks the intense heat of its cousins and instead delivers a pleasant fruity sweetness with subtle floral notes making it accessible to a wide range of palates. Used in Peruvian and Caribbean cooking for its flavor and color it is valued as a way to incorporate the distinctive tropical fruitiness of chinense peppers without overwhelming heat.