If you have been searching for your chili match then look no further. Hatch Chilies are in season and being roasted and sold all over the state.
If you are a chef who has a flair for Mexican dishes or your taste buds crave Mexican food, then mark your calendar for upcoming special chile roasting events at local supermarkets.
Green Hatch chilies can range from hot to blazing to time to call the fire department. The green chile is a staple in southwest cooking. You can no more make authentic southwestern food without green chilies than you could drink water without a cup. The Hatch green chile is specifically grown in Hatch, New Mexico. If you buy a jar of chilies labeled with the Hatch name do a quick double check. Some companies are illegally banking on the Hatch name, so make sure the bottle is labeled “Made in New Mexico.”
According to the LA Times, Hatch chili farmers have “banded together to ask the government to recognize their crop, similar to what has been done by Vidalia onion growers and Napa Valley wine makers.” The US Patent office has the ability to recognize a specific product as coming from a very specific place. This means that only Hatch farmers would be able to use the Hatch name. The dry climate gives the chilies a distinct flavor that is beloved by many.
The LA Times quotes Duane Gillis, a fifth generation Hatch chile farmer, as saying; “Any chile grown in the Hatch valley has a unique flavor because of our warm, dry climate.”
Starting August 1st you will have the chance to buy some fresh roasted green Hatch chilies at a location near you. The chilies are roasted at the location. They are tumbled over a flame to get a delicious, fire-roasted flavor. The chilies are tumbled over an open flame for a few minutes, just enough to get a char on the skin. Then, they’re ready to take home and cook with.
There are several local places to get these amazing chilies. From now through October, the Santa Monica Saturday Farmers Market will have green chile roasts for you to take advantage of. Make sure to buy enough to freeze or dry to use throughout the year.
La Cañada Flintridge Gelson’s at 635 Foothill Blvd. in La Cañada Flintridge, who can be reached at (818) 790-0563, will have roasting on August 15th.
The Pasadena Ralphs at 3601 E. Foothill Blvd.in Pasadena will hold a chile roasting event on Sunday, August 16th. For information, call (626) 351-8806.
The South Pasadena Bristol Farms at 606 Fair Oaks Ave. in South Pasadena will have chile roasting on Saturday, September 5th and can be reached at (626) 441-5450 for more information.