Carrabba’s Italian Grill puts redneck spin on famous Sicilian dish

I’m not sure when the redneck appetizer known as “poppers” — a kind of lowbrow, finger-food version of the Mexican chile relleno — was invented, but over the last decade, the breaded and deep-fried jalapeno peppers, typically stuffed with cream cheese or cheddar, have expanded from the saloon menu to casual restaurant chains and elsewhere.  Even the upscale hot-food counter at Cosentino’s Brookside Market sells thumb-sized fried poppers every day.

These “poppers” should never be confused with the distinctly more heady “poppers” that were wildly popular during the disco era; these were aromatic, but not for human consumption.