Hatch Chiles: Red, Green, or Christmas
Special to Seattlest, courtesy of Ryan Tateishi.
While many Seattleites relish cool summer temperatures, chile addicts are looking to fire things up. Chile season begins in the summer and peaks in early September with the Hatch Chile Festival held in New Mexico. On Labor Day weekend, people from around the world gather in Hatch, the small town that hosts the annual event. As the scent of roasting chiles saturates the air, the only question to be considered is "Red or green?"
The unofficial state motto, red or green?, refers to the choice of sauce to accompany a delicious New Mexican dish. The green sauce is made from immature chiles, while the red sauce is made from the same chiles in their ripened state. If this proves to be too difficult a decision, a reply of "Christmas" will result in a combination of both.
Chile terminology can often be confusing. Pepper, chili, chile, chilli, Aji, paprika, and Capsicum are all terms used to refer to chile plants, though they are not members of the pepper family. (In the Southwest, chili refers to the spice blend based on chiles or the chile-based stew.) Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter chiles in 1493. He referred to the chiles as pimientos, which means black pepper in Spanish. This may be the reason chiles are still referred to as peppers today. With the help of Columbus, chiles spread from Central and South America throughout Europe and Asia and were incorporated into local cuisines.
Chiles are not only healthy, but they have a long history as a remedy for conditions ranging from anorexia to vertigo. Chiles are a rich source of vitamins A and C and are high in potassium, magnesium, and iron. They are a good source of folic acid, vitamin E, and most B vitamins. Chiles also contain capsaicin, the substance that gives chiles their heat. The pain caused by capsaicin stimulates the brain to produce endorphins, accounting for the rush that many chile eaters experience. Capsaicin also increases metabolism, so that we burn more calories and feel hotter than we actually are. So for those of you that want to feel the summer heat without getting burned, chiles are the perfect solution.
For those chileheads that don't get enough hot stuff at the festival, the locals have got you covered. The ristras (chile wreaths) hanging on the doors of many New Mexican homes are not only a colorful decoration; they can also be used in cooking. Ristras are simply a handstrung rope of New Mexican chiles, which are allowed to dry in the sun. With New Mexico being the largest commercial producer of chiles in the United States, there are plenty of ristras to bring home as souvenirs and gifts. If travel isn't on the Labor Day agenda, Seattle farmers markets can meet all your pepper needs. From sweet bells to hellacious habaneros, you'll find more varieties of peppers than you knew existed.
