n scotch bonnets— cultivar of
Capsicum chinense. Indigenous peoples like the
Amerindians of the
Antilles, the
Tainos, and later the
Caribs, transported scotch bonnet peppers and other staples like cassava and sweet potato on huge canoes. Both of these
Arawakan subgroups originated in the
Orinoco River Valley (present-day Venezuela). The Tainos from the
Yucatán Peninsula and
Belize were pioneers in traveling to the
Greater Antilles, and they took a variety of chilies with them. They have since become a staple of
Caribbean cuisine, especially
Jamaican. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish and Portuguese colonizers introduced scotch bonnets to other regions. Through the
Columbian exchange, the five domesticated species of
Capsicum were introduced into Europe, Africa, and Asia, where more varieties developed across the globe. They became so popular in Asia and Africa, that many consumers there are unaware of the chili peppers'
Mesoamerican origins. For comparison, most
jalapeño peppers have a heat rating of 2,500 to 8,000. A completely sweet variety of scotch bonnet,
cachucha, is grown on some Caribbean islands. == Cuisine ==