With coloring more like a Gala apple than a bell pepper, the Enjoya pepper has a rosy red striping over a canary yellow background.

They are a new bell pepper cultivar. In 2013, Wilfred van den Berg, a Dutch grower, found this beautiful mutant variety pepper on a plant in his greenhouse.

He partnered with a group of other greenhouse growers to develop the strain and produce enough volume of the quality to sell commercially.

Melissa’s, purveyor of the most special produce on earth, has imported these lovelies from The Netherlands.
 
 
HOW TO USE ENJOYA BELL PEPPERS

Enjoya peppers are pleasantly sweet, very crunchy, crisp and a bit juicy.

The variety is denser than other peppers, each one weighing a hefty three-quarters of a pound.

Enjoya bell peppers. Yes, you will enjoya them (photos courtesy Melissas.com).

Orden them online from Melissa’s or phone 1.800.588.0151.
 
 
BELL PEPPER HISTORY

Peppers (Capsicum annuum), both sweet and hot, are native to Central and South America.

They are members of the Nightshade family, which also includes eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes—all native to the Americas.

Peppers have been cultivated for more than 9,000 years. The earliest fossils to date are from southwestern Ecuador, dating to about 6,100 years ago (source).

Christopher Columbus found peppers of different varieties growing in the West Indies, where he famously landed in 1492. Seeds were sent back to Spain in 1493, and from there peppers spread to Europe and Asia.

The bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper and in the U.K., capsicum, is the only cultivar in the Capsicum annum genus that has no capsaicin, the heat-causing chemical compound.

Bell peppers are plump and somewhat bell-shaped, with either three or four lobes. Green and purple peppers have a slightly bitter flavor, while the red, orange and yellow varieties are sweeter.

Artisan growers of the fruits* grow even more colors, including brown, lavender and white…and now, with the Enjoya, striped!

Who knows when the next beautiful mutant color may pop up in a greenhouse.

Today, China is the world’s largest bell pepper producer, followed by Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia and the United States (source).
 
 
FOOD TRIVIA

Pepper gets its name from the Greek word for pepper, pipéri. However, that word refers to the black peppercorns from India, Piper nigrum, not the Capsicum annuum chiles of the New World.

The erroneous attribution descends from Christopher Columbus, who, upon first tasting hot chiles, equated them to the spicy black peppercorns he knew.
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*Yes, peppers are fruits: Their seeds are carried inside.

[2] Tricolor olive Martini garnish.

Save the peels after you juice citrus fruits, put them in freezer bags, and you’ll have an instant cocktail garnish for savory or sweet drinks.

We especially like this tricolor peel presentation (we actually eat the peels, too—a tasty nibble).

 
The cocktail in photo #1 is a Pisco Yuzo Apéritif, developed for Earth Day. It has an international theme: pisco from Peru, Lillet from France and yuzu juice from Japan.

Combine them in a 2:1:1/4 ratio.
 
 
BONUS TIP: OLIVE MARTINI GARNISH

For all who love multiple olives in their Martinis, here’s another tip from The Skylark (photo #2).

They call it “a redhead, a blonde and a brunette walk into a cocktail.”

This is not gender-related comment. All humanity comprises redheads, blondes and brunettes.

Tartine is the French word for an open-faced sandwich with a rich spread or fancy topping.

The word actually refers to a slice of bread. Tartine is the French diminutive of the Old French and Middle English tarte, derived from the Late Latin torta, a type of bread*.

We have a childhood recollection of a variety of tartines served in the ladies’ lunch rooms our grandmother frequented. Eaten with a knife and fork, they were a favorite in those more gracious times.

But beyond encountering the occasional open-face roast beef or turkey sandwich smothered with gravy, open face sandwiches are no longer in fashion in the U.S.

Slapping another slice of bread on top of the ingredients for a conventional sandwich (thank you, Earl Of Sandwich) is more American: faster and more convenient to eat. Who needs elegance?

Tartines remain a traditional sandwich type in the Nordic countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia and Scandinavia, where they are eaten at breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Inspired by this recipe from Vermont Creamery, we suggest weekend brunch of Egg Tartines, with seasonal asparagus and pea shoots.
 
 
RECIPE: POACHED EGG TARTINE

Ingredients For 4 Tartines

 
For The Asparagus

 
For The Herbed Crème Fraîchee

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside.

2. TOSS asparagus with oil and salt and spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

3. PLACE the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cool water. Place pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover, remove the pan from the heat, and it let sit exactly 5 minutes. Transfer eggs to the ice water and allow to chill for 10 minutes.

[2] We’re big fans of Vermont Creamery’s luxurious crème fraîche. Here’s more about crème fraîche (pronounced krem fresh).

[3] You’re familiar with pea pods, which hold the round peas in side. The pods grow off stems; the stems and tendrils are just delicious as the peas. They can be eaten cooked or raw in a salad or as a garnish (photo courtesy Starling Farm).

5. TOAST the bread. While it is toasting…

6. COMBINE the crème fraîche, thyme, chives, parsley, lemon zest, and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread it generously over the toasted bread, then top each slice with asparagus, pea shoots, and a soft-boiled egg.

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*Both tarte/tart and torta have evolved to mean other foods in English.

†If you can’t find crème fraîche, you can make your own or substitute Greek yogurt.

While our friend Jerry makes hummus the old-school way—with a mortar and a pestle—other lovers of homemade hummus have discovered the super-easy blender/food processor hummus technique.

Store-bought containers are way too small and pricey: It’s a bargain to make your own, and easy (here’s a recipe).

When you make your own, you can avoid preservatives and stabilizers, and use fresh lemon juice instead of concentrate, quality olive oil, etc.

Since it’s asparagus season, how about an asparagus dip? Hummus doesn’t show asparagus at its best, but make a white bean dip and revel in the flavors.

This recipe is one of the most requested appetizers at eMeals, a meal kit delivery service.

They call it Asparagus Hummus, but we invoke Food 101: It isn’t hummus* if it doesn’t have chickpeas and tahini.

It’s a different kind of dip, and deserves its own respect instead of riding on the coattails of a popular food.

Plus, bean dips are terrific in their own right. Thus, we present:
 
 
RECIPE: ASPARAGUS BEAN DIP

Ingredients

 
Plus:

 
Preparation

You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead. Cover (we tamp plastic wrap on the surface) and chill.

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a food processor; pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. (If it’s too thick, add teaspoons of water to achieve desired consistency).

2. SERVE with crudités and enjoy a nutritious snack.

[2] A classic white bean dip. Here’s our recipe (photo © Whole Foods Market).

[3] Cannellini beans (photo © Food To Live).

*“Hummus” derives from the Arabic word for chickpeas, and the complete name of the spread is hummus bi tahina, chickpeas with tahini.

†If you don’t like a lot of garlic, use one large clove.
  

[2] Dessert grilled cheese: queso blanco and fresh raspberries (photo courtesy Litehouse Foods).

explore different combinations.

 
Use your imagination, and you’ll leave that American cheese on white bread a memory!