What is a Datil Pepper?

The Datil Pepper, also known as the yellow lantern chili, is a very hot pepper that is mostly produced in St. Augustine, Florida. Capiscum chinense ‘Datil’, not to be confused with Chinese, range in size from ¼” – 4” and are a dark yellow or bright orange color. 

The origin of the Datil is still up for debate. The earliest mention of Datil Peppers in Florida that historians can find is in The Complete Chili Pepper Book by Dave DeWitt and Paul W. Boslan. The book mentions that they were first brought over by a jelly maker from Cuba named S.B. Valls in 1880. Some say it was brought over by the Menorcan Immigrants in the late 18th century while others say they came over form Africa, no one really knows.

The Datil Pepper is similar in its heat index to a habanero, hitting at around 100,000 to 300,000 on the Scoville scale--a scale used to measure the spiciness of peppers. But unlike habaneros, datil peppers are sweet, with a fruitful tangy taste and sometimes smoky flavor to them.