Steve Pope wrote:
> Bubbabob > wrote:
>
> (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> >> Is there any difference?
>
> >Flavor. Definitely flavor.
>
> >Same species, very different cultivar. Arbols are also usually much smaller
> >than cayennes and less fleshy.
>
> >If you're buying powdered chiles they're probably too old and oxidized for
> >the differences to be obvious.
>
> Well, possibly, but I used dried chilis alot and there are definite
> culinary difference over fresh chilis that can be used to advantage.
> Furthermore fresh chilis, of a given variety, are not alwasy
> in season.
>
> The main thing I'm wondering about is whether there's enough
> of a difference between these two products that I should keep
> both on hand. I'm leaning towards "probably not", but so
> far I instinctively put cayenne into an Italian dish, and arbol
> into a Mexican dish.

Growing conditions (soil, weather, etc.) will make a major difference
(flavor, appearance, etc.) even using seeds of the same plant.