Choosing the right pepper

Carolina Reaper Peppers

Where do you start when making your sauce? First things first, pick the pepper. Some peppers are fruity, some are earthy, and some don't have much flavor at all. All peppers have some degree of spiciness (i.e.-heat). Here's a list of peppers and their heat The Hot Pepper List: Know Your Spice – PepperScale. So, would you like it Super spicy, Hot, or Mild? Do you like traditional flavors (Jalapeno, Cayenne, Habanero) or non-traditional flavors (chocolate Carolina Reaper, chocolate Ghost, peach Habanero)? Things to also consider are availability (both logistical and seasonal), price (growing, buying, transporting), and growing cycle of peppers. The spicier (hotter) the pepper, the harder to grow. Thus, the expense for the pepper rises. My advice is to shop local markets, look on the web, and taste as many peppers as you can before settling in on a pepper.