In the world of fruits, few ingredients are more enthralling than peppers. There are so many different kinds it's difficult for botanists to quantify the precise number
What's clear is that humans love cultivating the plant that emerged from the Americas and spread worldwide.
And one of the easiest ways to always have what you need on hand is to keep a variety of dried chiles on hand.
But such a dizzying range results in difficulty categorizing the plant in culinary terms unless it's a specific common variety like chipotle or Anaheim.
Any guide to hot peppers, no matter how comprehensive, is bound to leave some out.
And few focus on dried peppers alone, despite the seemingly endless possibilities available at Latin American grocery stores across the United States, making the options feel overwhelming.