Banana peppers are native to South America. They come in several different varieties ranging from mild and sweet to hot and pungent. The peppers are about four to six inches long and they resemble a banana in shape and are pale yelow-green to yellow in color becoming bright red when mature. Banana peppers can be eaten in a variety of ways, including fresh, pickled, fried, stuffed and roasted. The banana pepper can also be added to sandwiches and/or salads for extra flavor and zip.

These peppers are also known as yellow wax peppers or banana chilli. The hotter variety are also known as Hungarian wax peppers

Banana peppers are a relatively mild pepper with a hotness rating of between 200 and 4000 scoville units which places their spiciness above peperoncini, Anaheim and poblano peppers but below jalapeno peppers.http://www.growing-peppers.com/banana_peppers.htmlhttp://www.real-foods.net/scoville-rating.html

To make pickled banana peppers you'll need the peppers of course, along with garlic, dill, one cup of pickling salt, one cup of vinegar and approximately one gallon of water

Wash the banana peppers, and make a small slit in the side of each one. Alternatively, you can cut the peppers in half and remove all of the seeds. Any of the mild sweet peppers can be used as a substitute; cut them into strips, adding in some jalapeno added for a little extra punch.

Pack the peppers in sterilized jars. For each jar, use one clove of garlic, one bunch of dill or one teaspoon of dill seed.

Bring the pickling mixture to a boil, pour it over the peppers and adjust the seal. Blanch the jars in a boiling water bath for approximately 10 minutes to finish the sterilization and help with the sealing of the jars. Tip: Heat the jar lids before you use them for best results.http://yummybanana.webgoonies.com/2006/07/pickled_banana_peppers.html