Instructions: We all know that spicy food tantalizes the taste buds, but did you know that chili peppers not only add the "spicy" but have more Vitamin C than citrus fruit? Or that they may help to keep the pounds off by accelerating the bodys metabolism? There is no doubt that spicy food is elbowing its way into our lifestyles and even doing the cha-cha into mainstream American cuisines.

Like potatoes and tomatoes, chilies are indigenous to the New World. Columbus brought them back from the Caribbean and introduced them to Europe. The Portuguese and Spanish traders took them on to Africa, India, and the Orient. and the rest, as they say, is history. The word "chili" comes from the Nahuatl dialect of the Aztecs. The plants were misnamed "peppers" by Columbus, who thought that chilies were related to peppercorns. Today, we still call chilies peppers even though they have no relation to black pepper.

Botanically, theyre berries; horticulturally, theyre fruits; when fresh, theyre vegetables; and when dried, theyre a spice.

There are dozens of varieties of chilies throughout the world-from green bell pepper, which has no heat, to the rip-roaring Habanero or Scotch Bonnet, which is considered the hottest of the hot. These fiery foods range in size from as small as a pea to more than a foot long. Some are mild and sweet while others are so hot just touching them to the tongue is painful. In general, the larger the chili the milder the flavor. You could say hot things come in small packages: the tiniest chilies tend to pack the most wallop. Chilies also come in almost every color of the rainbow. Immature peppers may be green, yellow, white, or other colors. As they ripen on the vine, they change in color to yellow, orange, red, or even chocolate brown. The "hotness" in peppers is due to capsaicin (cap-SAY-i-sin), a potent chemical with the remarkable ability to irritate nerve cells in the skin and taste buds. The heat is concentrated in the veins of the pepper, and when capsaicin is touched or shaken, it spills onto the seeds. The most common measurement of capsaicin or heat is Heat Units. Capsaicin causes skin irritation, so always wear gloves when handling peppers, and remember to take your contact lenses out before you start.

HABA ERO Hottest chili in the world. Turns golden orange and puffy, wrinkles when ripe. Grown in Mexico and the Caribbean. Known as Scotch Bonnet in Jamaica.

Delicious in recipes containing fruit or tropical flavors.

JALAPE O Conical, thick wall. Hot to medium-hot. Most popular chili in Mexico.

CHIPOTLE Smoke-dried jalapeno. Used in sauces, salsas, and soups. Adds a deep smoky flavor unlike any other chili.

SERRANO Medium green with hot, green-chili character.

PEQUIN Small oval or football shaped. High heat with brownish red color.

GUAJILLO Dried chili, medium-hot, with very slight smoky flavor.

POBLANO Mild to medium hot, wide shouldered with rich, complex flavor.

ANCHO A dried poblano chili. Mild to medium-hot, rich flavor.

ANAHEIM Dark red, almost mahogany. Elongated, broad, bluntly pointed. Heat level is mild to moderate.

NEW MEXICO A dried Anaheim chili. Has an earthy, bricky flavor. Is essential in making traditional red chili sauces.

PAPRIKA The powder of a mild sweet chili.

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