Cayenne

A hot red pepper powder made from dried and ground cayenne chili peppers, typically measuring 30,000-50,000 Scoville heat units. It adds intense heat and a sharp, pungent flavor to dishes without significantly altering their color.

Named after the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, though the peppers likely originated in Central America. The word entered English in the 1750s through French, as European colonizers encountered these fiery peppers in the Caribbean and South American territories.