A classic Japanese pepper variety known for its occasional spicy fruit, the Shishito has become an American restaurant appetizer staple. The fruit is a wrinkly deep emerald green and ripens to a ruby red color. Typically eaten green, flash-fried and blistered, seasoned with salt and a dipping sauce it was originally grown for fired tempura dishes. Shishito means “Lion Pepper” as the plant grows to a shorter stout plant heavily laden with 2”-4” inch long fruit. Thinly slice ripe fruit for a sweet and spicy kick to salads.