Jalapeño popper facts for kids
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| Course | Hors d'oeuvre |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Jalapeño peppers, cheese, spices, breading, sometimes ground meat |
Jalapeño poppers, also called jalapeño bites, are a popular snack. They are made from jalapeño peppers. First, the peppers are hollowed out. Then, they are filled with a mix of cheese and spices. Sometimes, ground meat is added too. After being stuffed, they are often covered in breading and deep-fried until crispy.
These tasty treats are sometimes known as "armadillo eggs." This name is used especially when they are wrapped in bacon or sausage meat. This wrapping makes them look a bit like an armadillo shell. The term "jalapeño poppers" has been used since the 1970s in Texas. Some people think they are a Tex-Mex version of a dish called chile relleno. The name "Armadillo Eggs" might come from their similarity to Scotch eggs.
When jalapeño poppers are smoked or grilled and stuffed with sausage, they have another fun nickname: A.B.T. or Atomic Buffalo Turds.
Competitive Eating Records
Did you know people compete to eat the most jalapeño poppers? Joey "Jaws" Chestnut is a famous competitive eater. He holds a world record for eating jalapeño poppers. On April 8, 2006, he ate 118 poppers in just 10 minutes! This amazing feat happened at the University of Arizona.
The History of the Name
The name "Jalapeño Poppers" became very popular. In 1992, a company called Anchor Food Products applied for a trademark on the name. Another company, Poppers Supply Company, already had a trademark for "Poppers" related to popcorn. Later, the trademark for "Poppers" used with breaded vegetables was also transferred to Anchor Food Products.
In 2001, Heinz bought the Poppers brand. However, another company, McCain Foods, took over Anchor's factories. Before all this, in 1985, Leon's Texas Cuisine launched a similar product. They called their cheese-stuffed, breaded, and fried jalapeño product "Jalitos." They claim it was the first such product sold across the country.
