I’m a food science major, so naturally I am curious about food, how it’s made, where it’s from, and pretty much any other question you can think of. While looking at the schedule, I could only recall visiting the Plantations only once before, and I was interested in the different varieties and usages of peppers. I then thought, why not make this a 2-in-1 trip! While at the Pepper Party, I found it so intriguing that most countries around the world used peppers and that it wasn’t only a regional trend. Something I found to my liking is that not all peppers are spicy and that the capsaicin levels vary in all peppers. There were definitely peppers that were scorching hot, but to my surprise, many were also mild as the spice was used to enhance the flavor.

One of my favorite stands featured a hybrid pepper cultivated and designed by some of Cornell’s own students. They let me sample some of their 4th generation snacking peppers grown in a gradient of colors. With just one bite, I could taste the freshness and sweet & crisp nature; definitely something I hadn’t seen before.

Overall, the Pepper Party opened my eyes to a whole new side to peppers that I hadn’t been aware of before. In the past, I have generally shied away from eating and cooking with peppers, and now that my perception has changed I am definitely more open to using them.