• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / How are sweet red peppers and red hot chili peppers related and What is a Mexican barbacoa?

How are sweet red peppers and red hot chili peppers related and What is a Mexican barbacoa?

March 1, 2020 by Karen Hill

The big, sweet fruits found on pizzas and salads and the long, skinny, mouth-burning peppers found in Mexican restaurants both belong to the genus Capsicum.

Both are native to Latin America.

Chili peppers are especially popular in Mexico, which is home to about two hundred varieties. Ground into powder or stirred into chili sauce, the peppers are part of many Mexican American dishes, including chili con came.

The English word “barbecue” comes from the Spanish word barbacoa, which in turn comes from an Arawak word.

A traditional Mexican barbacoa involves cooking a whole lamb or goat for hours in a pit lined with heated stones.

Related Facts

  • What Chemicals make Chili Peppers Hot and Spicy and Why are some Hotter than Others?
  • What was the European Age of Exploration?
  • Why Are Hot Peppers Hot and What Is the Natural Function Of the Compounds In Hot Peppers?
  • What is Chili con carne and Where did Chili con carne originate?
  • Why Do People In Hot Climates Eat Hot Peppers and How Does Eating Spicy Food Help You Feel Cooler?
  • The History of the Dictionary

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Why do so many Chicano artists paint murals and Where did the tradition come from?
Next Post: What does the word “Pocho” mean and Where did the term “Pocho” come from? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy