Tumaticot Pepper

The Tumaticot production area is in the town of Carmagnola and the plains in the direction of Poirino, near Turin, in northwestern Italy. This pepper has a markedly rounded shape that is flattened at both ends. The flesh is quite thick and tender, and less crunchy with respect to other varieties. It is characterized by its very delicate taste, and its thin skin that detaches easily from the flesh. It is a late variety, left in the fields traditional after the main harvest at the end of September and October. Therefore, it arrives on the market later than the other varieties. It is a very aromatic pepper, characterized by its thickness compared to others, but it is not well known by consumers. Sandy soils will give the pepper a spicier flavor, while clay soils create a pepper that is sweeter. It is the same for the size: if grown in open fields it is smaller, if grown in greenhouses it will be larger. The Tumaticot is a pepper that can be preserved under vinegar or pickled whole, selecting the peppers that are not very large. Those in larger dimensions are destined to become peperonata or cooked in other was. The yellow peppers are found in smaller quantities and are also more requested, because they are sweeter and more aromatic than the red versions. At one point, 60% of the peppers were red and 40% yellow, but today almost all are red.Since its introduction at the beginning of the early 1900s, the intensive cultivation of peppers in the area around Carmagnola has seen a great deal of interest from farmers, because the optimal conditions of the soil and climate produce good yields and have ensured good incomes. If you consider then, that since the end of World War II the majority of the population was dedicated to agriculture, it is clear that the pepper became an important part of the local economy. Inevitably, over time, the pepper has become an integral part of the local culture. The acquisition of training and experience in this specific field by farmers means that the pepper has played a crucial role in the history and everyday life in Carmagnola. There are sayings, exhibitions, festivals, art and anecdotes that center on the peppers, not to mention the local cuisine that is strongly characterized by the presence of this vegetable. Today, the producers sell the peppers directly at stands or from their homes, but this variety is less well known than other more famous types of Carmagnola peppers.