Minorcans and Datil Peppers: St. Augustine Icons

Many would consider Minorcans and datil peppers St. Augustine icons. However, those outside of St. Johns County possibly have never heard of either.

We (the locals) know the story. Minorcans – from the Spanish island of Minorca - came to our shores in the 1700s. They brought with them the fiery and sweet datil pepper. To this day the presence of both remains strong: plenty of residents of Minorcan descent call St. Augustine home and St. Augustine produces the majority of all datil peppers.

Today, Mike O’Steen, a direct descendent of the Minorcans, brings everything full circle and pays homage to his family’s legacy through Minorcan Mike’s datil pepper products. The local family-owned pepper sauce company creates datil pepper products including sauce, jelly, salsa and vinegar.

For generations Minorcan Mike’s family has been cooking with datil peppers and making sauces. As a kid, Mike vividly remembers his grandfather growing datil pepper plants in his hothouse. Mike learned at an early age not only how to cultivate the peppers, but also how to cook with this staple ingredient of our local cuisine.

Mike began making sauces as a hobby for oyster roasts – and then for friends upon request. His hobby quickly grew into a business. He has perfected his grandfather’s datil pepper sauce recipe creating his amazing blend of sweet and heat with an emphasis on flavor.

Minorcan Mike has stayed true to his roots and differentiated himself from other hot sauces because he uses only datil peppers. (A lot of other makers use a variety of peppers.) And it’s a crop Mike largely grows himself. Since the days of the oyster roasts, he has also expanded his product line to include datil pepper salsa, jelly and vinegar.

Even if you’re a local, you might still be asking yourself, what exactly is a datil pepper? Here’s Datil Pepper 101: A datil pepper is similar in heat index to a habanero, but has a sweeter, fruitier flavor. On the Scolville scale – used to measure the spiciness of peppers – the datil pepper ranks 100,000 to 300,000. As a reference, this is about 12 times (at its mildest) to 120 times hotter than a jalapeno. This orange-yellow pepper also has some amazing health benefits.

As Mike likes to say, “It’s sweet with a little heat.” Minorcan Mike’s Datil Pepper Sauce’s diverse flavor profile make it a delicious complement to eggs, burgers, nachos, seafood, soups, dips – and even adds a tasty kick to Bloody Marys. Minorcan Mike’s salsa, jelly and vinegar are also versatile and have endless uses. Check-out his Recipes for inspiration.

Minorcan Mike’s datil pepper products are available online and at many area retailers. They also offer local delivery and nationwide shipping. Minorcan Mike’s makes a unique gift – but you’ll want some for yourself too. And trust us, one jar won’t be enough! (Cases are available. 😉)