Poblano Pepper

History

The poblano pepper takes its name from Puebla, the central Mexican state where it has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times and remains a cornerstone of regional cuisine. The pepper holds a unique position in Mexican culinary culture as both a fresh and dried ingredient—when used fresh it's called poblano, but when dried it becomes the ancho chile (from "ancho" meaning "wide"), creating essentially two distinct ingredients from the same pepper. The dish chiles rellenos, featuring roasted poblanos stuffed with cheese or meat and coated in egg batter, originated in Puebla during the colonial period and has become one of Mexico's most beloved national dishes. The poblano's other famous culinary destination is mole poblano, the complex sauce containing dried anchos (and often two dozen other ingredients) that is considered one of Mexico's greatest culinary achievements. Interestingly, poblanos are sometimes mislabeled as "pasilla" peppers in California due to a regional naming convention that has persisted despite being technically incorrect (true pasillas are different dried chiles). The pepper's mild heat level—gentler than jalapeño—combined with its large size and thick flesh has made it ideal for the North American market, where it's now widely available in mainstream supermarkets and has become a popular gateway for Americans exploring Mexican cuisine beyond Tex-Mex.