This time of year, appetizers are so frequently passed under our noses that we sometimes forget that meals are properly served on china, not paper napkins printed with holly leaves. Last week, it was quite a pleasure to reach for what looked like a stuffed cherry tomato, only to have it virtually explode in my mouth with a flavor at once sweet, sour, and spicy. This little gem, the waiter informed me, was a peppadew.
The peppadew, or sweet piquanté pepper, hails from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and is a relative of the chile. Pickled or fresh, they’re delicious stuffed with cheese or shrimp, skewered with fish or pork, or dropped into a martini.