<\/a>Today\u2019s post is HOT. Guaranteed! I want to share with you something really special. Something that might actually surprise you. It goes back many generations in my family. And beyond. <\/span><\/p>\n

Italy is known for its food, right? But did you also know that a region of Southern Italy is popular for its hot chili peppers?? In Calabria there is no<\/em> family that doesn\u2019t use peperoncini<\/i> (hot chili peppers) or pupazzi<\/i>, as they call them in our dialect.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The motto is: A meal is not tasty if it\u2019s not at least a little hot. This extra spiciness comes in many versions. They (or shall I say we<\/i>?) usually start off by using the ground red pepper while cooking. You might have already noticed that I use it in most of my recipes, too. The chili peppers are being dried in the sun during the summer months. They beautifully decorate the face of the houses. Then they grind them, which turns them into the tasty powder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, that\u2019s not enough by far! There is more hot stuff to come! On top of that, every family has a jar of preserved peppers. They come dried and chopped, in a jar filled with olive oil, or alternatively blended into a cream with olive oil. Either way, you want to make sure you don\u2019t pour too much on your dish, or you will need a fire extinguisher! Trust me. Then there are the super brave ones. They will top their plate with additional sliced fresh chili peppers. It gives me hot flashes just by looking at them..<\/span><\/p>\n

So, as you can see these hot peppers are<\/em> a big deal in Calabria. They even dedicate an entire annual festival to that hot little thing, that takes place in the beautiful village Diamante<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n

The monthly magazine Lust auf Genuss<\/a><\/em> dedicated a whole edition to chili peppers and bell peppers a few weeks ago. And here is the big news: I had the chance to be part of it :)) When they asked me whether I wanted to contribute with one of my recipes, I didn\u2019t have to think twice about it! Not only did I get a chance to present my traditional chili cream recipe, they also dedicated three pages to my blog! I bet you can imagine my excitement :) You know, that kind of excitement when you see yourself for the first time being published in a magazine. And on top of that, in a magazine that I have been collecting on my bookshelf for the past few years. <\/span><\/p>\n

And here is the outcome!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t