Bell Pepper

Look for peppers that are heavy for their size with tight, glossy skin (wrinkles mean they've been sitting). Store them whole and dry in the crisper drawer: green peppers hold 2–3 weeks, red and yellow more like 1–2 since they're fully ripe when picked. The 3-color multipacks are only a deal if you'll use all three within the week, otherwise buy loose and pick each pepper yourself. Skip pre-cut strips entirely; they're double the price and go slimy in days. Seed and cut just before cooking, and slice strips the same width, so they finish together.

Bell peppers are at their best with high heat and a little char. Roasting at 425°F or grilling over a hot flame caramelizes their sugars and turns them from crunchy salad filler into something sweet and smoky. The mistake most people make is crowding the pan or pulling them too early; a pepper isn't done until the edges have real color. Color matters too: red, orange, and yellow are ripe and sweet, while green is the same pepper picked early. Green is more bitter, which is exactly why it belongs on fajitas and in sausage-and-pepper territory, not in a sweet roast.