Picatin 2 Oz Bottle

 The Chiltepin pepper, also known as "chile tepin" or "bird pepper," holds a significant place in North America's cultural and natural heritage as the wild ancestor of domesticated chili peppers. Indigenous peoples have long harvested and utilized this tiny, potent pepper for culinary and medicinal purposes, valuing its intense heat, flavor, and purported healing properties. Despite the introduction of chili peppers to the rest of the world through the Columbian Exchange, the Chiltepin remained a local staple, symbolizing the region's rich biodiversity and deep-rooted human connection to wild foods.

Today, the Chiltepin pepper continues to be cherished for its fiery heat, often surpassing the spiciness of a typical jalapeño. Enthusiasts incorporate the peppers fresh, dried, or crushed into various dishes, salsas, sauces, and seasonings, maintaining a culinary tradition that has endured for centuries in Southwestern and Mexican cuisines. Conservation efforts are underway to safeguard the wild populations of Chiltepin, recognizing their importance in preserving the region's biodiversity and honoring the pepper's historical significance as a living link to the gastronomic history of the Americas.