The Fresh Grocer: Italian Hot Peppers

BOSTON (CBS) - Italian peppers are the perfect way to spice up any dish.

The Fresh Grocer, Tony Tantillo, has some tips on how to pick the perfect pepper.

When purchasing the peppers, make sure they are green all the way around. Also be sure that there's no cracking and that the stem is attached. If the stem isn't attached and it appears that the pepper is decaying a bit, then pick another one.

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Also, don't be alarmed if the peppers seem wrinkly or crooked because that's the way they're supposed to look.

The shelf life for the peppers is typically four or five days as long as they are refrigerated.

In the summertime, Tony recommends grilling the peppers and adding olive oil, which help give them added flavor. Don't use the salt and pepper until after they are cooked. Then, you can apply more virgin olive oil and enjoy your dish.

You can watch Tony weekdays at noon on WBZ-TV.