{{short description|Species of plant}} {{speciesbox |image = Pimiento campanilla.jpg |image_caption = Bishop's crown fruits |genus = Capsicum |species = baccatum |authority = L. |synonyms = * ''Capsicum cerasiflorum'' Link * ''Capsicum chamaecerasus'' Nees * ''Capsicum ciliare'' Willd. * ''Capsicum conicum'' Vell. * ''Capsicum microcarpum'' Cav. * ''Capsicum pendulum'' Willd. * ''Capsicum praetermissum'' Heiser & P.G.Sm. * ''Capsicum pulchellum'' Salisb. * ''Capsicum umbilicatum'' Vell. |synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/search?q=capsicum+baccatum|title=The Plant List}}</ref><ref>{{GRIN | access-date = 15 December 2017}}</ref> }}
'''''Capsicum baccatum''''', also simply referred to as '''''{{lang|es|ají}}''''' ({{IPA|es|aˈxi|lang}}), is a member of the genus ''Capsicum'', and is one of the five domesticated chili pepper species. The fruit tends to be very pungent and registers 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville heat unit scale.
== Botany == Chili pepper varieties in the ''C. baccatum'' species have white or cream-colored flowers and typically have a green or gold corolla. The flowers are either insect or self-pollinated. The fruit pods of the ''baccatum'' species have been cultivated into a wide variety of shapes and sizes, unlike other ''capsicum'' species, which tend to have a characteristic shape. Unlike a ''Capsicum frutescens'' plant, the pods typically hang down and can have a citrus or fruity flavor.
Cultivated baccatum (''C. baccatum'' var. ''pendulum'') is the domesticated pepper of choice of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Genetic diversity in Capsicum baccatum is significantly influenced by its ecogeographical distribution |journal=BMC Genetics |year=2012 |volume=13 |issue=68 |pages=68 |doi=10.1186/1471-2156-13-68 |pmid=22866868 |pmc=3496591 |last1=Albrecht |first1=Elena |last2=Zhang |first2=Dapeng |last3=Mays|first3=Anne |last4=Saftner |first4=Robert A. |last5=Stommel |first5=John R. |doi-access=free }}<!--|access-date=4 August 2014--></ref> The Moche culture often represented fruits and vegetables in their art, including ''ají amarillo'' peppers.<ref>Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru : Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera''. New York: Thames & Hudson, 1997.</ref> South American farmers also grow ''C. baccatum'' as ornamental plants for export.<ref name="DeWitt"/>
===Cultivars=== [[File:AjiMochica.jpg|thumb|upright|Ceramic shaped like ''ají amarillo'' peppers. Moche culture. Larco Museum collection]] This species of chili pepper includes the following cultivars: * ''Ají amarillo'', also called ''amarillo chili'' and ''ají escabeche''<ref name="DeWitt">{{cite book|title=The Complete Pepper Book: A Gardener's Guide to Choosing, Growing, Preserving, and Cooking|author=Dave DeWitt and Paul W. Bosland|publisher=Timber Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0881929201}}</ref> * Bishop's crown * Lemon drop, ''ají limón'' or ''ají limo''<ref name="Mother">{{cite web|last1= Weaver|first1= William Woys |title=How to Grow Aji Limo |url=https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/aji-limo-zmaz06fmzwar/ |publisher=Mother Earth News }}</ref> * Piquanté pepper
<gallery> File:Capsicum baccatum flower 02.jpg|alt=Capsicum baccatum Flower|''Capsicum baccatum'' flower File:Bishop's crown fruit on plant.jpg|alt=Bishop's crown fruit on its plant|Bishop's crown fruit on the plant File:Capsicum bacatuum flower.jpg|Flower File:C baccatum lemon drop fruit.jpg|Cultivar "Lemon Drop" </gallery>
==Culinary use== The ''C. baccatum'' species, notably the '''''ají amarillo chili''''', has its origins in ancient Peru and across the Andean region of South America.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Phenotypic diversity, correlation, and importance of variables for fruit quality and yield traits in Brazilian peppers (Capsicum baccatum)|journal = Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution|date = 2010-11-09|issn = 0925-9864|pages = 909–918|volume = 58|issue = 6|doi = 10.1007/s10722-010-9628-7|language = en|first1 = Elizanilda Ramalho do|last1 = Rêgo|first2 = Mailson Monteiro do|last2 = Rêgo|first3 = Cosme Damião|last3 = Cruz|first4 = Fernando Luiz|last4 = Finger|first5 = Vicente Wagner Dias|last5 = Casali|s2cid = 6136758|url = http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/21466}}</ref> It is typically associated with Peruvian cuisine, and is considered part of its condiment trinity together with red onion and coriander. ''Ají amarillo'' literally means "yellow chili"; however, the yellow color appears only when cooked, as the mature pods are bright orange.
''Ají amarillo'' is one of the ingredients of Peruvian and Bolivian cuisines. It is used as a condiment, especially in many dishes and sauces. In Peru, the chilis are mostly used fresh, and in Bolivia, dried and ground. Common dishes with ''ají amarillo'' are the Peruvian stew ''ají de gallina'' ("hen chili"), ''Papa a la Huancaína'', and the Bolivian ''fricasé Paceño'', among others. In Ecuadorian cuisine, ''ají amarillo'', onion, and lemon juice (amongst others) are served in a separate bowl with many meals as an optional condiment. In Colombian, Peruvian, and Ecuadorian cuisines, ''ají'' sauce is also a common condiment.
The Ají Amarillo pepper has been named the "Flavor of the Year" for 2025 by McCormick & Company, a prominent spice company. This pepper is expected to see a 59% increase in menu appearances over the next four years.<ref>{{cite web | last=Doering | first=Christopher | title=Aji Amarillo pepper to enter more food and beverage items, McCormick says | website=Food Dive | date=2025-01-30 | url=https://www.fooddive.com/news/aji-amarillo-pepper-to-enter-more-food-and-beverage-items-mccormick-says/738649/ | access-date=2025-02-03}}</ref>
''Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum'', popularly known as ''dedo-de-moça'' (lady-finger) is specially used on Brazilian cuisine, specially in the South and Southeast regions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pimenta dedo-de-moça {{!}} A queridinha dos chefes |website=Embrapa |language=pt-BR |url=https://www.embrapa.br/hortalica-nao-e-so-salada/pimenta-dedo-de-moca |access-date=14 September 2025 |archive-date=14 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250914140534/https://www.embrapa.br/hortalica-nao-e-so-salada/pimenta-dedo-de-moca |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pimenta dedo-de-moça marca presença na cozinha brasileira |date=3 April 2018 |website=Revista Menu |language=pt-BR |url=https://revistamenu.com.br/pimenta-dedo-de-moca-marca-presenca-na-cozinha-brasileira |access-date=14 September 2025 |archive-date=14 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250914141324/https://revistamenu.com.br/pimenta-dedo-de-moca-marca-presenca-na-cozinha-brasileira |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Etymology == right|thumb|''Ají amarillo'' is actually bright orange before cooking, which changes its color to yellow Some form of the word ''ají'' has been used since approximately 4600 BCE. It was first used in the protolanguage Otomanguean. It then spread along with the Capsicum fruit from Central and South America to other pepper-growing regions. ''Capsicum baccatum'' is still referred to as ''ají'', while other peppers are referred to as "pepper" via the Spanish conquistadors noting the similarity in heat sensation to black pepper.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kraft|first=Kraig|date=2014|title=Multiple lines of evidence for the origin of domesticated chili pepper, Capsicum annuum, in Mexico|journal=Proc Natl Acad Sci USA|volume=111|issue=17 |pages=6165–6170 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1308933111 |pmc=4035960 |pmid=24753581 |bibcode=2014PNAS..111.6165K |doi-access=free}}</ref>
The Latin binomial name is composed of ''Capsicum'', from the Greek ''kapos'', and ''Baccatum'', meaning "berry-like."
==See also== {{Commons category}} * List of Capsicum cultivars
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1993/V2-132.html Eshbaugh, W. Hardy. Peppers: History and Exploitation of a Serendipitous New Crop Discovery (1993)] * {{PFAF|Capsicum baccatum}}
{{Capsicum Cultivars}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q132263}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capsicum Baccatum}} baccatum Category:Flora of Peru Category:Peruvian cuisine Category:Bolivian cuisine Category:Chili peppers