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Cayenne Pepper | Local Hot Pepper From Cayenne, France | TasteAtlas

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper is a hot pepper that's named after its supposed place of origin, the Cayenne region of French Guiana. Nowadays, these peppers are grown in Mexico, the United States, India, and East Africa. They usually come in the dried and ground version, and the powder is often used in soups, sauces, on pizzas, or over meat and seafood.


Cayennes range from 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units, similar to serrano pepper. The majority of hot sauces rely on cayenne for the kick, especially if the sauce contains vinegar. Interestingly, these peppers have been used as medicine for centuries as they have a number of beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.