Peperoncini are small, mild pickled peppers, usually pale green to yellow-green, most familiar as the tangy topping on sub sandwiches, antipasto plates, and Greek salads. They're a cultivar of Capsicum annuum, the same New World chili species behind bell peppers and jalapeños, adapted to Mediterranean growing conditions after peppers reached Italy in the 16th century; today's supply comes from Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Note the language gap: in Italian, "peperoncino" is the generic word for any hot chili pepper, while the English "peperoncini" refers specifically to this mild, vinegar-pickled variety, sometimes sold as "Tuscan peppers." On the Scoville scale they measure only about 100-500 SHU, among the mildest peppers used in cooking, with a bright, tangy, faintly sweet flavor.