The Scotch bonnet is the habanero’s Caribbean cousin and an essential part of Jamaican cooking, above all jerk. It is named for its shape, which resembles a Scottish tam o‘ shanter cap.
| Species | Capsicum chinense |
|---|---|
| Heat | 100,000–350,000 SHU (University of Florida); one scientific study measured 324,928 SHU |
| Found in | the Caribbean (especially Jamaica), Guyana, the Maldives |
| Fruit | bonnet-shaped, 1.5–2 inches (4–5 cm) across, ripening from green to yellow, orange or red |
| Flavour | very hot and aromatic, with a sweet aroma |
Name and history
According to the University of Florida, the name comes from its likeness to the Scottish tam o‘ shanter hat. Fiery Foods magazine notes that it was already called “Bonnet or Goat Pepper” in Jamaica in 1767, and that it was the first Caribbean hot pepper to be sold under its own name on export markets. The species C. chinense is native to the Caribbean and northern South America (see the habanero article for more).
Scotch bonnet vs. habanero
Both belong to the same species, and the University of Florida gives them the same heat range of 100,000–350,000 SHU. Yet they are not the same pepper: Fiery Foods points out that they are frequently confused but “definitely not the same”, and NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute treats them as different pod types. The Scotch bonnet is shaped like a cap; the habanero is more lantern-shaped with a pointed tip.
Jerk
Scotch bonnet is the signature pepper of Jamaican jerk marinades and sauces. According to Smithsonian magazine, jerk grew out of a fusion of the traditions of escaped enslaved Africans (the Maroons) and the indigenous Taíno. Modern jerk gets its heat from Scotch bonnets, while traditional jerk used small bird peppers and pimento (allspice). In Jamaica Scotch bonnets also go with shrimp, steak and into patties.
Related
Habanero · 7 Pot · Trinidad Moruga Scorpion · Scoville scale
Sources
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Peppers by Scoville units
- Fiery Foods & Barbecue (2008): The Scotch bonnet peppers of Jamaica
- Santos et al. (2012). Acta Horticulturae 939: 315–322. doi:10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.939.41
- Ministry of Agriculture St Vincent and the Grenadines / CARDI (2003): Hot Pepper Production Guide
- UWI Today (2012): article on Caribbean peppers
- Smithsonian Magazine: A Brief History of Jamaican Jerk
- Votava E. J., Bosland P. W. (2004). HortScience 39(3): 627–628. PDF