The great-grandfather of sweet bell pepper comes from America, although initially it was not sweet at all. For many, the history of the origin of the name of this pepper remains a mystery, and at first glance it is absolutely not clear why this pepper is called Bulgarian.
Instructions
Step 1
In Europe, the first country to grow bell peppers is Spain, but it is not called “Spanish”. The fact is that it was Bulgaria that made a huge contribution to the selection of this variety of pepper. For many years, Bulgarian scientists have been working to ensure that sweet peppers acquire a certain size and shape, which are so familiar to us today.
Step 2
The Bulgarians themselves often call this type of pepper simply “sweet”. It is worth noting that breeders in Bulgaria have changed not only the size and shape of the wild-growing American pepper. They also influenced its taste, making it deliciously juicy. Those who know the history of the evolution of bell pepper are no longer so surprised by its name.
Step 3
There is another version of the origin of the name of the bell pepper. The fact is that Bulgaria was the first major supplier of this vegetable. Russia was not very familiar with sweet pepper before, and people simply began to call it by the name of the supplying country. Later, the "name" of the pepper stuck, and today everyone takes it for granted.
Step 4
It is interesting that bell pepper is called so only in Russia, in other countries it is called paprika or just sweet pepper. Until the time when bell peppers became popular throughout the world as an agricultural crop, many scientists called them the "false berry".
Step 5
Bell pepper, no matter what you call it, is not only a deliciously tasty vegetable, but also very useful, especially it is rich in ascorbic acid. And also contains a special enzyme that allows vitamin C not to be destroyed even when canning a vegetable. By the way, today Bulgaria is a fairly large producer of sweet peppers. It is thanks to the knowledge and experience gained from the Bulgarians that now every Russian summer resident can grow a delicious and very healthy sweet pepper on his site.
