Chili and spicy food used to be found almost exclusively in countries where chili has been a staple food for hundreds of years, for example Mexico, Peru, China, or Thailand. The story of how chili and spicy food reach new countries is closely linked to migration.
In the United States, for instance, the Mexican and Central American community has contributed to spreading Mexican cuisine across the country. The demand for Mexican products, especially spicy foods and chilis, was at first created almost exclusively by migrants. Nowadays you can find fresh and dried chilis in every supermarket in the United States; not only have Latin American roots in the country grown stronger, but locals have also developed a taste for chili.
Chilis (or Chiles) and spiciness in German cuisine
This development can also be observed in Germany. Here, spicy food was introduced mainly by migrants from Asia, especially from Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from Turkey (which geographically belongs to both Europe and Asia) and various African countries. In recent years there has also been a growing influence of Latin American cuisine, particularly from Mexico and Peru.
In addition, hot sauces are becoming more and more popular worldwide, including in Germany. The market for hot sauces is growing rapidly and is being driven by the increasing interest in different cuisines and flavors. The popularity of these sauces is rising because consumers are looking for new and exciting taste experiences.
On this website you will find information about chilis, their use in the kitchen, different sauces, and events related to the exciting topic of spiciness.
Mexico – Origin of Spiciness
Although the chili plant originally comes from South America, probably Peru, it was first cultivated in Mexico. From there, the plant spread throughout the world. Due to the country’s great climatic diversity, numerous chili varieties developed here, along with various processing methods like drying or smoking. Even though other countries like China and India now produce more chilis in terms of quantity, nowhere else is the variety of types and preparation methods as great as in Mexico. For this reason, this website is dedicated to Mexican cuisine as well as chilis and spicy dishes from around the world.
