Sweety Drop peppers are a very small heirloom pepper type originating in Peru, South America. They characteristically resemble teardrops in shape. The peppers have a flavor profile characterized by sweet and tangy taste with a hint of spice. They are mostly known and sought-after for their sugar-like sweetness.
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What are Sweety Drop Peppers
Sweety Drop peppers are a miniature looking type of pepper of genus Capsicum. They are bright red in color, very small in size with a teardrop shape which has earned them their famous name. They are distinctly remembered for their sweetness and unique flavor. The peppers present many opportunities for everyday culinary application in raw and cooked dishes which includes salads, pizza toppings, baked goods, pastas canapes and aperitifs. They can also be enjoyed simply as a snack.
Although of genus Capsicum, Sweety Drops are botanically classified as Capsicum baccatum. Capsicum baccatum is a sub member of Capsicum, which is associated with a handful of domesticated chili pepper species.
Origins of Sweety Drops
Sweety Drop peppers originated in the Peruvian Amazon of South America. They have been linked to the Inca people of that region. Furthermore, in some literature and sources, they are considered the same as Petits Poivrons or Inca Red Drop peppers. However, this is questionable as the origins of these peppers appears to be specifically tied to a private company based in Peru as shall be later discussed.
Nonetheless, according to Pepper Scale, an established website dedicated to documenting spicy eats, Inca Red Drops have a heat level of between 10000 and 30000 Scoville heat units. By our interpretation, this is regarded as a strong and fiery heat level according to this particular Scoville infographic.
This heat level does not appear to be consistent with Sweety Drop peppers as produced in Peru. In any case, the website falls short of confirming whether Inca Red Drops are exactly the same as the well sought after Sweety Drop peppers of Peru.
Although originally from the Peruvian Amazon, there is verifiable information demonstrating that Sweety Drops were developed by Gandules Inc. a large-scale agro-business out of Peru which has popularized the variety.
According to a report in Fresh Plaza, a reputable global media outlet for the fresh produce industry, Sweety Drops is a Gandules cultivar that was discovered by the company’s employee while visiting the Peruvian jungle on holiday. According to the report, Gandules took the pepper and sought to make it as popular as the Cherry tomato. An Executive of the company was quoted in the 2013 report as saying “We are making a great effort to help this product succeed because it could be the new Cherry tomato“. Even so, today some Sweety Drops consumers attest to snacking on the peppers one after the other just like sweet Cherry tomatoes.
It is believed that the behemoth Gandules subjected the discovered cultivar to a highly selective process over a period of two years to produce what is now a very popular pickled canned product.
From this understanding, it seems plausible that it is nearly impossible to replicate the same cultivar behind Sweety Drops by Gandules in one’s own garden. The processes involved in producing the renowned Sweety Drop peppers appear intimidatingly complex and out of reach of the home gardener. As such, many people enjoy the peppers in their commercially available pickled form.
Sweety Drop Pepper Seeds
Despite our spirited investigation, it has not been possible to establish any pepper seed producer definitively producing what can be confidently called Sweety Drop pepper seeds. The true Sweety Drop seeds appear to be exclusive to Gandules and not widely accessible to home gardeners.
However, Inca Red Drops, Petits Poivrons, Little Beak Pepper and Biquinho seeds are accessible and frequently listed and sold as Sweety Drop pepper seeds. These seeds do not seem to produce a true replica of Sweety Drops as originally produced by Gandules, suggesting widespread marketing wit.
Pickled Sweety Drops
Sweety Drops produced in Peru are available as canned peppers out of the production fields of the Peruvian Highlands. These are essentially pickled Sweety Drops that are exported from Peru to the rest of the world by Gandules. Gandules exports its produce for home and restaurant use under the Preserves Products category to over 45 countries around the world. This explains the popularity of their pickled Sweety Drops.
The following are some Sweety Drop peppers as accessible in the United States for restaurant and home use.
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| Red Sweety Drops by Roland See on Amazon Roland Foods out of New York, U.S imports these Sweet Drops from South America. The peppers are preserved in vinegar and ready to eat warm or cold out of the 28 oz (approx 830ml) can. According to Roland Foods, the peppers are “sweet and tangy with a whisper of heat”. The can is packed with the Sweet Drops which may not be finished in one sitting. Once opened, the peppers can be stored in a glass container in the fridge. |
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| Sweety Drops by DeLallo See on Amazon These Sweety Drop Peppers are imported by DeLallo, a family run business out of Pennsylvania in the United States. The peppers are imported from Peru and distributed in the U.S. under the DeLallo brand. The pickled peppers carry a promise of a sweet and tangy flavor, a similar promise to that of Roland Foods. DeLallo Sweety Drops are sold in 4.3 oz (approx. 130ml) glass bottles. Apart from Amazon they can also be ordered directly from DeLallo’s online store here. |
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| Sweety Drop Peppers by Zona See on Amazon These Sweety Drops are imported from Spain by Khayyan Specialty Foods and distributed under the brand name Zona. The Sweety Drop pepper themselves are also imported into Spain from Peru. They are Peruvian Sweety Drops in a similar fashion as the ones by DeLallo and Roland Foods. Zona peppers are sold in 11.46 oz (approx. 340ml) cans. The peppers are promoted as having a zesty, sweet and sour flavour but with no heat. |
Sweety Drop Pepper Recipes
Sweety Drops Recipe Ideas
Sweety Drops are renowned for their versatile culinary applications. The following is our compilation of assorted scrumptious recipe ideas calling for Sweety Drop peppers.
| Grilled Rosemary Potatoes with Peruvian Sweety Drop Peppers – This recipe produces an inviting dish featuring a tablespoon of Sweety Drops. The peppers are finely chopped or blended into the recipe and also used as garnish on serving. Other ingredients in this recipe include egg yolk, white vinegar and olive oil. |
| Chicken and Sweety Drop Pepper Relish Recipe – This tasty looking recipe calls for 1 oz. (approx. 28 grams) of Sweety Drops and boneless skinless chicken breasts. Other ingredients required include green onions, potatoes and feta cheese. The Sweety Drops are coarsely chopped and combined with white parts of the green onions as part of relish making for the recipe. |
| Panzanella Salad – This inviting colorful salad calls for a ½ cup of Sweety Drops. It also has bell peppers and some cherry tomatoes alongside fresh basil leaves and radish sprouts included. The ingredients line-up of the kind of recipe which promises a rich Italian salad dish that is suitable to accompany white meat such as grilled salmon or good old chicken. |
| Pepper-Only Pizza – Finally we add to this compilation this recipe which is true to its name. It combines sweet and heat rich peppers in making a pepper only pizza. The recipe leans on 1 tablespoon of Sweety Drop peppers to bring a sweet balance to the pizza which takes only 28 minutes to make. Sweety Drops are marketed as great pizza toppings. In this recipe is an opportunity to put this to a tasty test. |
Sweety Drops Cucumber Salad Recipe (Video)
This short video by DeLallo Foods demonstrates how to make Zesty Cucumber Salad with Golden Lemon Dressing using Sweety Drops. The result is a colorful delicious looking salad. Other ingredients in this recipe include olive oil, golden balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Conclusion
Sweety Drop peppers are a popular sweet and tangy miniature pepper originally out of the Peruvian Amazon albeit popularized by Gandules Inc. a Peruvian agro-company. Sweet Drops are exported to the United States and Europe from Peru and are mostly available as pickled peppers. Original Sweety Drop pepper seeds for backyard planting are not widely available. They are, however, mimicked by other similar looking teardrop pepper cultivars.
