Summer has come to an end, but pepper season is heating up. Native to the Americas, the fruits of Capsicum annuum are in full force at our farmers market from summer into early fall, where you can find more than 40 varieties in just about every color of the rainbow.

Low- to no-heat varieties like bells are generally called sweet peppers, while piquant varieties are commonly referred to as chiles. Pepper heat is based on the level of capsaicin, a chemical compound that creates a burning sensation on contact with mucous membranes, like the skin in our mouths. It is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), a scale developed by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. For a bit of perspective, bell peppers are 0 SHU, Tabasco sauce is 2,500-5,000 SHU, pepper spray is upwards of 2,000,000 SHU, and pure capsaicin is 16,000,000 SHU. Capsaicin is usually concentrated in the seeds and ribs of the chile, so those can be removed to soften the kick.