Remembering Mr. Murphree and the Spicy Sweet Pepper of St. Augustine

The Datil pepper (Capsicum chinense) is a potent cultural symbol against a backdrop of heritage tourism in St. Augustine, Florida, widely known as “The Nation’s Oldest City.”  The Datil is a locally popular and regionally unique heirloom pepper endemic to St. Augustine and the surrounding environs. A romantic origin story and local lore are embedded on this spicy pepper, tying it to north Florida’s Minorcan population, a group descended from indentured workers brought to the area in the late 1700s.

The below audio short was produced by Anna Hamilton for the Third Coast International Audio Festival’s 2013 ShortDoc Competition.