Datil Fest Award Winner!
Orange Spice Jam
Sweet navel oranges, Florida cane sugar, and locally grown Datil peppers, make this tasty jam truly Floridian!
The Origin Story.
The Minorcans
Saint Augustine, the Nation’s Oldest City, is home to the Datil pepper and the many Minorcan families who first cultivated it. Minorca is a tiny island off the coast of Spain, part of the Balearic Islands chain. Datil Daddy's Minorcan ancestors were first brought to Florida as indentured servants to work on a British indigo plantation in a place called New Smyrna. After nine years of deplorable conditions, a group of families managed their escape from the plantation. They walked 70 miles north to Saint Augustine, pleaded with the British Governor for asylum, and were granted their refuge and freedom.
The Datil Pepper
The original source of the Datil pepper is long forgotten, but Saint Augustine folklore states that the Minorcans brought the Datil pepper with them from overseas. They are said to have grown them on the plantation to add flavor to their meals. Datil pepper plants now originate and grow extremely well in Saint Augustine and the surrounding region of Florida. Datil Daddy has always taken pride in growing Datil pepper plants and keeping the Minorcan traditions alive. In fact, Daddy's family cookbook is full of Datil pepper recipes handed down for generations, and everything is truly delicious!