Purple Bell Peppers

Over the weekend past the girlfriend and I stumbled into the Union Square Greenmarket and purused several stands before limping onward. We saw Vermont honeys, buffalo and produce; these particular bell peppers caught my attention. Not only have I never seen purple bell peppers but they have a pungent aroma; hopefully they are well ripened.

The produce man described them as being sweeter than green but less so than red bell peppers. I really have no idea what to do with them especially since my girlfriend is rather picky. She likely won't eat them unless they are cut small or hidden.

Here they are unwashed, I won't wash them until I'm ready to use them. As you can see from the photo they look almost dusty. This is due to a waxy coating. Some fruits (yes they are a fruit, they have seeds, they are the plants ovaries) develop a waxy coating once picked. This is to help retain their moisture and thus they keep longer. In a wry manner this is a survival mechanism; if they spoil too soon the predators won't eat them and thus their seeds won't be dispersed.