Serrano (meaning of the mountain) is a chili pepper native to Tlaola, located in the Mexican state of Puebla. It is cultivated by a group of women from the Nahua community who grow it on terraces, while a greenhouse is used to grow the seedlings.
In an area where most land is owned by men, and women traditionally aren’t involved in commercial processes, these women are essentially restoring an ancient, disappearing native staple. Serrano is small, oblong and pointed in shape, and green in color.
The seedlings are planted in the fields between December and January. In April, it is manually harvested – the green ones are immediately sold, while a small number of serranos are left to grow until June, when they turn red. After they have been picked, the peppers are dried in the sun, toasted, then used for consumption or the production of condiments.