47 Believe in the Bell Ask for peppers by name. In Australia and India, peppers are called capsicums, after their scientific name. It has been reported that Christopher Columbus gave the fruit the name pepper because it had a similarly spicy flavor as black peppercorns, which were highly valued at the time. Pick your color. Green peppers are mature but not totally ripe, while red peppers have been allowed to fully mature on the vine (red peppers also taste the sweetest). Colors like yellow and orange fall somewhere in the ripeness range. PHOTO BY STOCKSY Take a peek inside. Ever sliced open a pepper and found another, tinier one lurking inside? This is called an internal proliferation, and it's an example of a phenomenon called parthenocarpy, which refers to fruits that form without fertilization. Scientists aren't totally sure why this happens, but these mini veggies are safe to eat. VIM & VIGOR SUMMER 2020 FdVSU20_46-47_In_the_Market.indd 47 2/18/20 9:43 AM