Flavor of the Month: Small, smoky, Calabrian chiles

These moderately spicy peppers hail from the Calabria region of southern Italy — the toe of the country’s boot. They have smoky and fruity aromas.

These peppers can be found raw, dried or powdered, but are more commonly packed in oil or pickled. They’re used like many other chiles and can be found in sauces and salads and as toppings on pizza, toasts and spreads.

Datassential reports that Calabrian Chile Pepper is gaining traction on independent casual-dining and progressive fast-casual restaurants. While only on 2% of American restaurant menus, the number has jumped 117% in four years.

A full one-third of the population knows about these peppers, a figure led by the Generation Z and foodie demographics, Dataessential says.

Click through the slides for more information on Calabrian Chile Pepper — Datassential's Flavor of the Month — along with two menu inspirations that your restaurant might want to try.