Fresh Organic Gemelli Mazinna Peppers

Gemelli Mazinna Peppers

5 lb Box · Peak Summer Availability

Heat Level: Sweet · 0 SHU

A new sweet pepper bred by Cornell’s Michael Mazourek and Gregor Inzinna, with Norwich Meadows Farm helping to grow and evaluate the fruit during its development.

Gemelli Mazinna was bred to excel at both stages of ripeness. Green, it is crisp, juicy, and sweet, without the bitterness often associated with green peppers. Red, it becomes even sweeter and fruitier, with the rich flavor associated with Jimmy Nardello.

These are fresh peppers for cooking and eating. We do not sell seeds or plants.

An Improved Alternative to Jimmy Nardello

Gemelli Mazinna was developed as an improvement on Jimmy Nardello, particularly for chefs and professional kitchens. The peppers are thicker, sweeter, and generally straighter, making them easier to slice, cook, and process.

Unlike Jimmy Nardello, whose seeds can extend throughout the pepper, Gemelli Mazinna keeps most of its seeds concentrated near the stem. The seed cluster can be removed quickly, leaving the long body of the pepper relatively clean and ready to use.

Its thicker flesh, straighter shape, concentrated seed cluster, and exceptional sweetness have quickly made Gemelli Mazinna a favorite among chefs—many of whom now prefer it to Jimmy Nardello.

Origin

The project began with a challenge: breed a green pepper that chef George Mendes would genuinely want to eat raw. Mazourek and Inzinna selected for sweetness, crunch, and flavor at the green stage instead of treating green simply as an immature red pepper.

Gemelli—“twins” in Italian—refers to the pepper’s two distinct culinary uses as both a green and red pepper. Mazinna combines the names of its breeders, Mazourek and Inzinna.

What Do Gemelli Mazinna Peppers Taste Like?

Green Gemelli Mazinna is crisp, juicy, and surprisingly sweet, with a clean, fresh pepper flavor and very little bitterness. It was selected specifically to be delicious at the green stage and is especially good in raw preparations.

Red Gemelli Mazinna is sweeter, fruitier, and more concentrated in flavor. It retains its substantial texture while developing the rich sweetness that has made Jimmy Nardello one of the world’s most celebrated frying peppers.

Green or Red

Gemelli Mazinna offers two distinct culinary experiences from the same pepper:

• Green: Crisp, juicy, fresh, and sweet, with enough structure for slicing and raw preparations.
• Red: Richer, softer, fruitier, and exceptionally sweet, making it ideal for frying, roasting, and grilling.

The name Gemelli celebrates these “twin” uses. Neither stage is secondary—the pepper was deliberately selected to be exceptional both green and fully ripe.

How to Use Gemelli Mazinna Peppers

• Slice green peppers into salads or sandwiches
• Chop into chimichurri, salsa, relish, or vinaigrette
• Serve raw with dips, cheese, or charcuterie
• Fry whole or sliced in olive oil
• Roast or grill red peppers until lightly charred
• Add to pizza, pasta, focaccia, or tomato sauces

For the best introduction to Gemelli Mazinna, begin with the green pepper raw. Slice it into thin rings to experience its sweetness, crisp texture, and unusually pleasant green-pepper flavor.

When red, fry or roast the peppers with olive oil and sea salt. Their thick flesh becomes tender and richly sweet, while their straighter shape and concentrated seed cluster make preparation especially easy.

Seasonal Availability

Fresh Gemelli Mazinna Peppers are available only during the summer growing season. Because this is a newly released variety, fresh peppers remain exceptionally difficult to find. Availability is limited and varies with field conditions.

Shipping & Delivery

We ship all produce via overnight delivery nationwide.
At checkout, please select your preferred delivery date.

Shipping Schedule:
• Order by Thursday at 12 PM EST → Ships Monday
• Order by Sunday at 12 PM EST → Ships Wednesday

If a delivery date falls on a holiday, your box will arrive on the next available business day.