I can only imagine what Hatch, New Mexico must be like this time of year. I love driving up to the grocery store and the entire parking lot smells of roasting chile peppers. We had already bought 20 or 25 pounds of hot peppers. Once upon a time, I thought they only came in the non-hot variety but this year, we had a choice of mild, hot and extra hot. We chose hot and I can tell you this . . if those are hot, I don’t ever want to taste extra hot!
This past weekend we were at United and decided to get 25 pounds of mild peppers. I think they’re only roasting them in the parking lot for the month of August but I could be wrong. So, we got our peppers and they are so good. From now on, I’m getting the mild ones. I’ve already told Vince IF/WHEN we move away, we’re coming back to Texas for roasted Hatch chile peppers! Whether we will or not . . who knows! By the time we move away from here, neither of us will probably remember chile peppers.
Anyway . . everything in the grocery store has Hatch peppers. There’s pound cake with Hatch peppers. We had that last year and I wasn’t so impressed. There’s chicken roasted with Hatch peppers, Hatch pepper/bacon mac & cheese (I like my chile pepper mac & cheese better). There are Hatch chile pepper bagels. This past weekend they were giving out tastes of this:
Hatch Chile Pepper Apple Pie
Vince was still out in the parking lot taking care of our pepper order and I tried it and it was so delicious. Vince came in and I said “You have to try this!” and he said “It doesn’t sound good to me!” Since I already had that pie in a box in my cart, I was thanking the good Lord! A whole pie to myself because he wasn’t going to like it!
The the lady handing out the samples, bless her heart, she talked him into trying it.
Vince: This is good!
Me: Told you!
Vince: Let’s buy one.
Me: I have on in the cart already.
Vince: Let’s buy two!
Me: NO!
We were going to our friends’ house that night so I took the pie. They said they liked it.
It was really surprising how biting into that bit of spicy pepper, along with the sweet apple pie filling, was just a burst of amazing flavor.
Something to look forward to in August . . when the heat in Texas is just about to kill us . . we can be happy that Hatch chiles will be available, along with all the exciting things the folks make with them.
Jean Truchan says
Since we are only 100 miles from the NM border we can get the freshly roasted Hatch chiles here too in August. BUT I found that even the ‘mild’ ones are too hot for me – guess I’m just a No Spice Girl! But my hubby loves hot peppers and we have contemplated getting some – just for him – before they are all gone.
Lynne in Hawaii says
Don’t worry Judy, you will be able to get the chile peppers wherever you go. We order our from the New Mexico Connection. They roast and flash freeze the chiles. They send them to us and they are still frozen when they arrive here in Hawaii. We order Big Jim’s for me. They are medium heat and we use those in the green chile stew. We order Sandias for himself (hot..too hot for me). They have some milder and another one is even hotter than Sandias.
Laura says
Our Albertson’s stores roast Hatch chile peppers in the parking lot, too (central California). They’re very popular, and the stores always sell out quickly.
Rebecca in SoCal says
I saw fresh Hatch peppers in a local store for the first time last week. No roasting, and the aroma, alas.
meyersacc says
I live in the Sandias in New Mexico. Moved here a year or do ago. They are roasting in every store parking lot I have been too. Haven’t tried them yet. Not sure what I would do with them. But gonna have to try. Both of my kids get them.
cassews says
LOVE those Hatch Chilies I just canned a bunch of salsa with them as well as anaheim and 1 jalapeno per batch. It is so good … Usually I save the Hatch chilies for green chili- okay so now I gotta go back to the store and get some more.
Dorothy Matheson says
I fell in love last year. Me the gal who only liked mild things up until a year or so ago.
So I bought a lot of the chicken and hatch chilies last year. And the jar green sauce and red sauce. yumm.
Today I saw burgers with hatch chilies already in them. Now a box of six will last a long time as I am the only one who will eat it. I cooked all six and ate one this evening. Almost too hot but with the condiments on it and the avocado and cheese on it. It was good. One a week or so for me.
Dorothy
Kim says
Judy, The Pioneer Woman has a great Chili Rellenos recipe that I used roasted Hatch Peppers in last week.
Char says
Hatch green chili is wonderful as a topping on cheese pizza!
Michelle says
I’m SO jealous!