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Position
Flandria peppers come in third place in terms of volume of sales at Veiling Hoogstraten. In terms of quality, on the other hand, this colourful vegetable comes top of the list just like all the other produce.
History
The fresh pepper only started to have a life of its own in the 20th century. Although powdered Spanish peppers were already available in 1618, and despite the fact that the Capticum annuum is a very easy plant that would undoubtedly have survived as well in northern climes in the 17th century as in the 20th century, it is never mentioned in old gardening books. Neither does it appear on the long lists of fruit and vegetables that used to be sold at various markets. However, in the 1680s, a variety appeared in Hungary, from which Hungarian paprika was derived.
In exactly the same way as the potato and the tomato, which also took a suprisingly long time to catch on, the pepper may also have suffered from the fact that it is part of the nightshade family. All plants related to the nightshade were believed to have strong medicinal properties in the Middle Ages, which also led to a lot of superstition. It was said to have a human form, and screamed when it was picked from the plant. Furthermore, people believed that anyone who dug up a nightshade would certainly die. It is clear that for the other members of the nightshade family, becoming accepted was always going to be tough!
The pepper was widely used in the 19th century in the states of the American south, and recipes for preserves were very common. It was also in common use in Southern Europe, where it was easy to grow, and of course in the Far East and in South America, where it originated.
But use of peppers only really took off in the second half of the 20th century, with the advent of fast refrigerated transporrt and the recent emphasis on health eating.
Arrivals / availability
Peppers are available from March to November. Summer is the high season with a peak in August.
A comparative statistical overview of the arrivals, volume of sales and average prices for peppers that have been traded in the last 2 years via Veiling Hoogstraten can be found here.
Nutritional value
Peppers are particularly rich in vitamins A and C. They are also low in calories.
Storage
Peppers are vegetables that are botanically a fruit and should preferably not be kept in a refrigerator. Peppers are best stored at a temperature of 10 to 13°C with a relative humidity of 90 to 95 %. In a cool place, they can be kept for a week. Covering the product with plastic film will increase its storage life considerably. Note: the stalks are vulnerable to rotting. Peppers are by their nature soft fruit that can easily be damaged. This damage can soon cause them to perish. So treat these fruits with care.
Quality characteristics
Flandria peppers are uniform in colour, are firm, fresh and have a shiny surface. They have an undamaged green calyx and are free of cracks, blemishes or burns. They have a fruit stem with a smooth cut surface, cut at the natural breaking point.
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