Unripe Buena Mulata Pepper Review
The first pepper review of the season was driven for me desire to enjoy a tasty treat the other afternoon and curiosity getting the better of me. I mean, the Buena Mulata is such an attractive looking pepper – that smooth, purple skin just called to me. I was also intrigued to see how this unripened pepper compared to one that was fully ripe.
For all intents and purposes, the Buena Mulata looks nearly identical to every other Cayenne-like pepper that I have grown in the past. Besides the beautiful coloration it displays during the ripening process, the fruit are, perhaps, a bit shorter in length. The shape, however, is spot on for a Cayenne.
As with the exterior color, the inside of the Buena Mulata also carries a different hue than your standard Cayenne. The interior walls are light violet, as is the thin placenta that runs the length of the pod. A decent number of seeds fill the empty space.
The aroma is grassy, giving off the impression of your standard “green,” unripened pepper. There is a hint of peppery heat lingering, but not much else. The flavor is pretty much similar with a subdued overall profile similar to a Cayenne – soft, distant smokiness. It reminds me a bit of the Hot Portugal that I grew a few years back. I do enjoy the crunchiness to the relatively thin skinned pepper.
The level of heat presented is mild-to-medium in intensity at its peak. There is a slow build to a full tongue burn, as well as the roof of the mouth. It’s a pleasurable and easily manageable burn that lingers for a good long while. I liked the mellow quality to this one, but when all is said and done, I don’t see much of a use for the unripened Buena Mulata other than adding some color to a salsa. The flavor is too subtle to stand on its own, but if you want to add tom flare to a snack, salsa is the way to go.