Top 9 Books About Chile Peppers

Here in the Southwest Mexican food is very popular. That means that we make and eat salsa, and we use chile peppersin our cooking. Here are some books that will complete your chile pepper library, from growing chiles, to the history of chile peppers, to cooking with chiles, and preparing all kinds of salsa.

1. The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia

A paperback with 352 pages. The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia has the answer to just about any question one could ask about chile peppers. This book was written by the editor-in-chief of Chile Pepper magazine. A perfect gift for the chile pepper aficionado!

2. The Habanero Cookbook

The Habanero Cookbook contains a recipes, along with of information on the world's "hottest" pepper from its history and growing to its safe handling and cooking. A paperback with 163 pages.

3. Real Women Eat Chiles

This cookbook focuses on spicing up your life and your meals with chiles. Hardcover, colorful, with some illustrations and nutritional information. You'll learn about chiles, and cook with them!

4. The Great Chile Book

This book has 140 chile-based recipes from restaurants of all types, and an illustrated guide to more than 90 fresh and dried chiles. Paperback. 160 pages.

5. Salsa Lovers Cook Book

The Salsa Lovers Cook Book includes more than 180 salsa recipes for appetizers, salads, main dishes & desserts. This is a book that I often see at airports and souvenor shops. Spiral bound, 124 pages.

6. The Great Salsa Book

This salsa guide features ten kinds of salsa--tomato and tomatillo, chile, tropical, fruit, corn, bean, garden, nut, seed and herb, ocean, and exotic. Each section has descriptions, recipes, instructions, accompaniments, and a heat scale. Paperback. 160 pages, about 100 of which are salsa recipes.

7. The Pepper Garden

A book for the beginner as well as the experienced pepper grower. The author outlines the growing process, covers the history of chile peppers, and includes illustrations and drawings. A paperback with 256 pages.

8. The Pepper Pantry: Habaneros

Includes about 40 recipes, history, and growing of the hottest pepper there is--the habanero. Paperback. 96 pages.