Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you are having a great day as we celebrate the birthday, the life, the person and the meaning of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living and loving God. The message of the Christmas season is peace and joy and hope and love. I hope you have all of these Christmas gifts in your heart today.

Winter-Bustin' White Chili for Diabetics

and the rest of us, too. It sounds soooooooooo good.

Diabetics should not eliminate all carbohydrates from their diets. They need to eat foods from all the food groups or a problem known as hypoglycemia can develop. Diabetes is a problem with high blood sugar, and hypoglycemia is a problem with low blood sugar. Both have undesirable consequences if not managed properly.

So, you will probably be thrilled to know that diabetics don't have to miss out on a steaming bowl of chili on a cold winter day or night. The right kind of chili can give a diabetic a good dose of the right kind of carbohydrates, the kind that comes from vegetables and dried beans. Also, the nutrition they need from low-fat protein that is found in lean cuts of chicken, beef and pork.

Here is a great recipe for chili that will warm the body and soul of a diabetic. Of course, it contains green chiles as well as many other wonderful ingredients. Take a look.

Ingredients:
1 pound of dried navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed

12 ounces mild lean Italian sausage, casings removed

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons low-sodium chicken bouillon granules

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken or turkey

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained

Coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add beans and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Drain, and set beans aside.

2. Return Dutch oven to high heat: add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up large pieces while cooking. Transfer sausage to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

3. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion, celery, cumin, oregano and hot pepper sauce. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add 5 cups water and bouillon to pan. Add beans, sausage, chicken and green chiles. Cover and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check water level every 30 minutes and add more if necessary. Season with black pepper. Ladle into chili bowls and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on top of each serving. Serves 8.

Doesn't that sound great! Thanks to Mike and Melinda Rhodes from Illinois for this recipe. You know they are always looking for something warm to eat in the winter, especially right now when it's about zero degrees up there.

Hormel Has Four New Flavors of Chili

Hormel has introduced four new "4-star flavors" of chili, and they are in glass jars. They call them their "Chili Master" varieties, and here is what they have to say about them.

"Step up to the new chef-inspired varieties of HORMEL CHILI MASTER Chili. Whether you choose the smoky flavor of Chipotle Chicken, the heartiness of Three Bean, the robust zest of Roasted Tomato, or the tempting taste of White Chicken, every spoonful is sure to draw rave reviews."

Sounds pretty good. I just may have to try some of these. When I do I will let you know what I think. If you try one or more of them please let us hear from you. We would like to know what you think, too.

Stay warm! Eat chili!

Bacon Tomato Avocado Quesadilla

Do you like quesadillas? I do. If you do, too, then you may want to try this recipe for a quesadilla that is a little different but delicious. Here is what you need to make it.

1 avocado
1 Roma tomato
4 strips bacon
2 flour tortillas (about 12 inches in diameter)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Ranch dressing for dipping (if desired)

Instructions:

Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Remove pit, then run a spoon under and around the skin to remove meat. Cut each half of the avocado flesh into four slices; set aside. Slice tomato and set aside. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain bacon on paper towels. Pour out bacon grease from skillet and return skillet to medium-high heat. Place one tortilla in the pan and top with 1 cup cheese. Place half the avocado, tomato and cooked bacon slices on top of the cheese and fold tortilla in half. Heat each side until light golden and cheese melts. Move to a plate and repeat with remaining tortilla, cheese, avocado, tomato and bacon. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve one half per person. Serve with Ranch dressing if desired.

Well, there you have it. Those are the written instuctions as I received them. Don't know about you, but, to be honest, I would have a problem eating only one half. I would have to have at least two halves, maybe more. So, if I had four people at my house to eat I would have to double the recipe. Yum!!!!!!!!!

Good eating!!!!!!!!!!

Santa Fe Farmers Market Winter Hours

A lot of folks like to visit Santa Fe during the Christmas season to see all the lights on the square and lots of other things. The Santa Fe Farmers Market is also fun to visit, but the hours are a little different than the summer hours. If you want to go get some wreaths or chile ristras at the market then read the next paragraph which was taken from a chili related blog, Summerland Fibers. At the end of this post I will give you a link to the Summerland blog in case you want to take a look at it.

"Winter hours are in effect for the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. Visit them Saturday’s 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Market Pavillion located at 1607 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Get your farm fresh vegetables, fruit, cheese, meats, baked goods, and many other local items. Currently in season: wreaths and centerpieces, chile ristras, gourds, fresh cider, apples, jerusalem artichokes, jujube fruit, dried red chili, tomatoes, potatoes, winter squash, beets, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, turnips and mushrooms."

Doesn't that sound great? Lot's of good stuff! Good shopping!

http://summerlandfibers.wordpress.com/

Arriba Mexican Grill Dinner Special

Arriba Mexican Grill is a very popular and highly rated Arizona chain. There are Arriba locations in Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee and Gilbert. December is a special month at Arriba. Not only are the locations going to be open normal hours on Christmas day, but Arriba is featuring a holiday special in December.

They call their special the "$5.99 Holiday Burrito Dinner Special," and it is available Monday through Thursday after 4:00 pm. It's a large flour tortilla stuffed with Chile Colorado and Chile Verde and it's covered with red and green enchilada sauce. It's also served with rice and your choice of beans.

Sound good to you? Sounds good to me. If you want to know more here is a link to their website. When you have the time click on the menu tab and look at the dinner menu. Wow! What a list!

www.arribamexicangrill.com

Barrio Cafe in Phoenix

Wow! It must really be a special place. I haven't been there yet, but I will go if I get the chance. The Barrio Cafe ranked number one on the Arizona Republic's latest list of great Mexican food restaurants. I knew that it also ranked number one last year, but I did not know until a few minutes ago that it ranked number one for the past 6 years including 2008.

What makes a restaurant this great? Well, according to their website, it's partly because it was a dream of chef Silvana Salcido Esparza who is a partner (a chef with a vested interest), partly because they feature authentic southern Mexico cuisine, partly because chef Esparza serves original creations and partly because it's a "hot and original" restaurant.

Here is a link to their website. See for yourself what they have to offer, and, if you go there to eat, please let us know about your experience. Thanks!

www.barriocafe.com

The support website is no longer available.

We need to inform you that the support website that was mentioned and linked in quite a few posts on this blog in August and September is no longer available. However, the pages will be archived for quite a while. If you see a post that is of particular interest to you and you would really like to see the website page or pages that relate to that post, just let me know via email. I will probably be able to get it to you one way or another. The website link has been removed from all posts on this blog where it appeared. In its place you will see the words, "Website no longer available." Remember, just let me know if there is something you really want to see.

The website is being changed and will be used for a different project. This blog, considering the new focus, really does not need it. I will post a couple more reminder notices about this in the future.

Thank you for your interest and your support.

The Latest Top 10 Mexican Restaurants

Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Turkey day is behind us now, and, except for leftovers, we can get back to Southwestern and Mexican cuisine. Actually, a lot of the leftovers can be used in burritos, etc., but you know what I mean. And there is no better way to get back in the groove than to go out to a great restaurant.

I reported earlier that part of the new focus of this blog is to write about great Southwestern and Mexican cuisine restaurants in Arizona and New Mexico. The Arizona Republic newspaper publishes lists of great restaurants (according to the critic they use) from time to time including Southwestern and Mexican food restaurants. A few days ago they published their latest list of top 10 Mexican food restaurants in the Phoenix area. Here is the list for you. In other posts we will take a look at each one of them, especially the ones with websites.

Number 1: Barrio Cafe, 2814 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 602-636-0240 barriocafe.com

Number 2: Tradiciones, 1602 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-254-1719

Number 3: San Carlos Bay, 1901 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix. 602-340-0892

Number 4: Pepe's Taco Villa, 2108 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-242-0379

Number 5: Los Dos Molinos, 8646 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-243-9113 losdosmolinosaz.com

Number 6: Los Reyes de la Torta, 9230 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-870-2967

Number 7: Los Sombreros, 2534 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-994-1799 lossombreros.com

Number 8: El Bravo, 8338 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-943-9753

Number 9: Carolina's, 1202 E. Mohave St., Phoenix. 602-252-1503

Number 10: Plaza Grill, 14620 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix. 602-374-2483

Okay. There you have it folks. This is Howard Seftel's list. He is the dining critic for the Arizona Republic. Have you been to some of these places? If so, do you agree with him about which ones are the best? Please let us hear from you and share with other readers. Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you and yours are having a great day. I'm thankful for many things including my family, my computer, the Internet, blogs, websites and you. Here's a special poem to help remind us where our blessings really come from each and every day. At least the way I believe. I believe that our blessings come from God (the God of the Holy Bible) because He loves us. I'm thankful for my God's love and for His promises to us that we will receive if we only love Him, too. I hope and pray you feel the same. Okay, here's the poem.

"For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see;
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi folks! I'm back!

Had to take some time off to do some other projects including making some decisions about a consulting business that I plan to start immediately. As a result, I plan to keep this blog going, but with a new focus. Also, the website that has been the support site for this blog will no longer be used with this blog. It will be changed and used with the consulting business.

The new focus of this blog will be Arizona and New Mexico, USA. More specifically, I intend to concentrate on "Southwestern Cuisine," "Mexican Food," great restaurants in Arizona and New Mexico, an occasional recipe, general chili facts and the Hatch Valley chile pepper industry. I hope you will enjoy my posts and will visit as often as possible. This blog is one of the ways I like to have fun, and I believe it is important for everyone to try to have a little fun along with all the sweat and tears.

I'll be back with you again real soon. I have several items that I believe will fit this blog, and I can't wait to get started with them. Please let me hear from you via email if you can. Comments and questions are always welcome. Adios amigo!

Those Peppers Just Keep Coming

There is a Family Dollar store about a mile down the road from where we live. We stop in there a lot for this and that. Real handy. Anyway, the last time I stopped in they had two new varieties of Pringles potato chips. (They sell a ton of Pringles.) These two new varieties are new "Extreme" varieties. One was an "Extreme Pickle" variety, and the other was an "Extreme blazin' buffalo wing."

Naturally that "blazin' buffalo wing" thing caught my eye the most. I just had to read the list of ingredients. The secret to the "blazin' buffalo wing" variety is what they call their "cayenne pepper sauce." It is made with cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt and garlic, and then incorporated into the potato chips.

I haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure I will before too long. It seems there are more and more ways for people to get their chili pepper fix, and this is one more.

Food manufacturers have caught on to the demand for chili pepper - infused foods. Taco Bell has a new "Volcano Taco" with a red shell that is made with cayenne peppers among other things. I have tried one of those, and, at least according to my taste buds, it the hottest item they have offered so far. Pretty good. It doesn't take much effort these days to look around and find new items being offered that contain chili peppers, and most of them are pretty good. Look for this trend to continue as more and more folks around the world become chili heads.

Hooray for chili peppers!

The White Chicken Chili Meal Solution

Yea!!!!!! October is here! My favorite month of the year. Warm days and cool nights. Beautiful colors all around. The perfect time for a great bowl of chili.

The closest supermarket to us is a Bashas'. We are in Arizona USA, and Bashas' has been in Arizona for many years. The Arizona Republic newspaper on Wednesday always contains a Bashas' grocery flyer. I like to get the newspaper on Wednesday for the grocery ads, but also because the Wednesday paper contains a special Food & Drink section. I've found a lot of good stories and recipes in the Food & Drink section.

As usual, I bought the paper today. To my surprise, the recipe that caught my eye is in the Bashas' grocery ad insert, not the Food & Drink section. It's part of a promotion they call "Bashas' Meal Solutions (for a family of 4) Under $10", and this week's promotion is "White Chicken Chili."

Bashas' says, "This a a quick, easy and light chili you will love. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yields: 4 servings"

"Items from this weeks' ad:
-- Diced Macayo's jalapeno peppers (1 [4 oz] can 79 cents)
-- Chopped Macayo's green chile peppers (1 [4 oz] can 69 cents)
-- Bashas' boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked, cut into cubes 3 cups [1 lb] $2.99 per lb.)
-- Food Club chicken broth (2 [14.5 oz] 69 cents each)
-- Food Club great northern beans (2 [15 oz] cans 99 cents each)
-- S&W chili beans (1 [15 oz] can 99 cents)
-- Shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (1 cup [4 oz] [$1.99, Recipe uses only 1/2 product])
-- 1 Onion, chopped
-- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed

Find these items in your kitchen:
-- McCormick ground cumin, 2 tsp
-- Dried oregano, 1 tsp
-- Vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp
-- Ground red cayenne pepper, 1 tsp

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender.
2. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the mixture from heat. Optional. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Less than $2.45 per person."

Everyone knows that the U.S. economy is number one in the news these days, and the reality is that there truly are a lot of people out there who need to watch their pennies with high gas prices and all. Bashas' is trying to do their part by keeping food costs down and offering meal solutions that don't cost a lot. I'm just so happy that they decided to start off this great chili season of the year with their version of a great chili at a great per person price. Just goes to show - once again - that chili has been and will continue to be a great tasting, nutritious, economical meal that everyone will love. Chili to the rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa Fe in Autumn Means Southwestern Cuisine At Its Best

Yes!!!!!! Autumn is finally here. My favorite time of the year. The days are shorter, so a hot day doesn't last very long. The nights are cool and crisp. And, perhaps best of all, it's harvest time in northern New Mexico.


In honor of all of this we thought you might like to take a mental journey to Santa Fe and let your spirit soar. The skies are crystal clear blue now, and the pinon pine trees are putting their perfume in the air as they offer up their ripe pine nuts. Farmers all along the ancient Rio Grande are harvesting their produce and bringing it to the farmers market in Santa Fe and to the world-class restaurants all around "the city different." No other time of the year offers as wonderful a mix of sights, smells and flavors.

The piquant aroma of roasting chiles, the colorful red chile ristras, the multihued southwestern wreaths made of natural materials such as dried chiles, dried flowers, Indian corn, rice grass and winterfat sage. It is all truly amazing. It's amazing to witness the creativity that all of this natural beauty brings out in people such as the artists, craftsmen and chefs that abound in and around the city.

Southwestern cuisine has its roots all the way back in Spain (the Mediterranean influence brought by the Spanish conquistadors), in Mexico and in the American Indian pueblos in New Mexico. Northern New Mexico farmers add freshness today that comes from local produce. This blending of cultures, flavors and freshness has given Santa Fe chefs a heavenly mix of ingredients. They have responded by creating a cuisine that is unmatched anywhere according to many, and they have attracted people from all over the world who come and enjoy the food and the atmosphere.

Since we are talking so much about the food, the chefs and the restaurants, we thought a meal would be in order to complete your mental journey to Santa Fe. Here is but one combination out of many. See what you think.

Appetizer

Spring rolls stuffed with shiitake mushrooms and marinated cactus pads served with spicy chile dipping sauce and flatbread that is scented with olive oil and brioche studded with bits of chile.

Main Course

Poblano chile relleno, a crisp shell that contrasts well with its stuffing of mushrooms and quinoa, the now trendy and ancient New World grain. Salad of black beans and pinto beans, in an enticing vinaigrette. Chilean sea bass perfectly cooked, moist and delicious, served over corn and roasted sweet peppers.

Dessert

Coffee ice cream that tastes like a rich, dark roast, accompanied by a thick caramel sauce made with goat's milk and a scrumptious phyllo-pinon crisp.

Even if you think you probably would not order some or all of this, you get the idea. Wonderful combinations. Wonderful flavors, and the chance to experience the creativity that has led to "Southwestern Cuisine", the famous cuisine that is unique to the Southwestern U.S. and, especially, northern New Mexico. We hope you have had a good journey, and that you will travel back again and again in your mind as you cook up your own great dishes in your own kitchen, especially now that autumn has officially arrived. Yea!!!!!!

Big Party Coming at Arriba Mexican Grill

Back on Friday, August 8th, we told you about Arriba Mexican Grill and about their Hatch Chile Roast. Why? Because Arriba Mexican Grill is a popular chain in the "Valley of the Sun" here in Arizona, and we know there are a lot of people in Arizona who love Hatch chiles. And because there are a lot of Arriba locations in the valley to make it convenient for you. Places like Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Ahwatukee and Gilbert.

Arriba's "Annual Hatch Green Chile Roast" was the entire month of August. Now they are taking a little break from special events to get ready for the next one. The next one? That's right, the next one, and it will be a big one - in October which is just around the corner. You see, it's their 13th anniversary, and I'm certain they will have a big celebration. I'm certain they will want everyone who participates to say, "Wow! That was a great, lucky 13th!"

As soon as we learn the details we will let you know. There are a lot of folks in the Valley of the Sun who will want to participate and maybe some from other states if they happen to be here. Stay tuned!

By the way, the green chile roast was a big success as usual. Folks around here just can't get enough of that Hatch green chile. Yum!

Sushi and Chili Sauce? "Sauce Man" Says "You Bet!"

Here in Arizona the city of Scottsdale is known for high-end spas and hotel resorts, expensive homes, golf courses, boutiques and restaurants. Many of the restaurants are gourmet restaurants with menus designed for "foodies", and a lot of top-tier chefs practice their trade there.

Chef Andrew Nam is one of those unique individuals who has worked hard to get where he is, and now he's having fun making a name for himself in Scottsdale. Chef Nam refused to eat fish when he was a child (so the story goes), but now he is a sushi chef - a very special sushi chef. He's special because he loves to create sauces that "wake up, not overpower, companion flavors." He says, "I love creating refreshing new sauces", and he has done it so much that he is now called "Sauce Man."

Chef Nam (a native of Chicago who has now worked with sushi and sauces for more than 20 years) has created many sauces to go with sushi. Many of his favorites are "Asian sauces", and he uses his "Asian pantry" for his "essential" ingredients.

Two of those "essential" ingredients are soy sauce and chili paste. The soy sauce he makes is made from soybeans and a starter called koji that begins the fermentation. To this is added a brine of sea salt after the original mix ages for 3 to 5 days. This is a "naturally fermented" sauce that is far superior to "factory-formulated" soy sauces according to Chef Nam, "and it's the fundamental ingredient in my Asian sauces."

The chili paste is his spicy chili sauce "with a kick." It's made from chili peppers, salt, oil and garlic, and Chef Nam combines it with his soy sauce and other ingredients to make his "Chili-Soy Sauce." Here is the recipe. It looks fairly simple at first glance, but remember that the ingredients include Chef Nam's freshly-prepared soy sauce and chili paste. You may need to experiment with those a little to get them right (your version for your taste).

CHILI-SOY SAUCE

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons chili paste
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Mix well in a blender or with a whisk, and serve immediately.

If you happen to be in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area you can find Chef Nam and his sauces at the Stingray Sushi restaurant in Scottsdale. I'm certain the "Sauce Man's" sauces would make the trip well worthwhile if you are into sushi, especially the Chili-Soy Sauce. Enjoy!

I bought a can of beans today.

Hey! Now wait a minute. Give me a chance. It looks like a very special can of beans. I wasn't really looking for beans. It just sort of appeared on a special shelf right in front of me. So, that makes two reasons it is a special can.

Okay! Okay! Don't be so impatient. I'm getting to it. The brand is S&W, and this is a brand that is highly respected by a lot of people. It's a can of "S&W Premium Pinquitos", and the ingredients are Pinquito Beans ("pink beans"), Chili Peppers, Onion, Cumin & Garlic. Now, admit it. Those are pretty standard ingredients in Southwestern cuisine in the U.S., and to me it sounds like a great combination. The pinquito beans may not be quite as well-known as pinto and black beans, but I trust S&W to use premium beans that taste great.

I got to thinking, "I wonder how many other varieties of chili-infused beans they pack, if any", and, naturally, I went to their website to find out. Here is a partial list of other beans all of you chileheads might find interesting.

1. Chili Beans - Santa Fe Sauce (Pinto Beans & Chipotle Peppers in a Zesty Santa Fe Sauce)
2. Chili Beans - Tomato Sauce (Pinto Beans, Chili Peppers, Onion & Garlic in a Zesty Tomato Sauce)
3. Chili Makin's - Black Bean (Black Beans, Sauce & Seasoning [Sauce & Seasoning includes ground chili peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano and cayenne pepper])
4. Chili Makin's - Homestyle (Kidney Beans, Sauce & Seasoning [Sauce & Seasoning same as Black Beans])
5. Chili Makin's - Original (Pinto Beans, Sauce & Seasoning [Sauce & Seasoning same as others] [This variety also includes Masa (stone ground corn).])

Wow! Finding that can of beans is a little like finding a small gold nugget. When you find a small nugget it makes you want to look for the motherlode upstream. Perhaps I found a motherlode of chili beans. Right now, I'm going to try the beans I have, and then I will look for the others. If you want to see the complete list of beans offered by S&W, use this link. Maybe you will want to go out and look for some, too, especially if you are thinking about making a pot of chili. Good eating!

www.swfinefoods.com/products/beans.html

Where The Jalapeno Pepper Got Its Name

Spicy, green jalapeno peppers are heaped on tacos and sandwiches on many, many street corners in Mexico. It's a tradition that has its roots in the pre-Spanish conquest days (before the 1500's) when the spicy pepper was one of the first domesticated crops in Latin America.

Historians say that the Aztec royalty favored drinks made with chile and chocolate, and they say the Mayans used the peppers to cure or treat many medical conditions. Their history books also tell us that the jalapeno pepper got its name from the eastern Mexico city of Jalapa. No wonder the Mexicans get a little testy when someone says something less than flattering about their jalapenos, as in food-borne illness situations. It's almost like outsiders attacking a national symbol.

Not everyone has bad feelings about Mexican jalapenos. Despite food-borne illness outbreaks that may or may not be tied to jalapenos from Mexico, the consumption of jalapenos in the U.S. is steadily rising. Jose Manuel Gochicoa of the chile growers' association in Mexico says, "It's the new fashion. Our exports are realizing double digit growth, but that is being threatened now by truckloads of peppers being held up at border crossing inspection stations. If we can't get the peppers to market while they are fresh, the exports will stop." A lot of people in the U.S. would not like that, so it's a little bit of a catch 22 right now.

Mexico is the world's largest producer of fresh chiles, so double digit growth means huge increases in tonnage. 80% of peppers grown in Mexico are jalapeno peppers. So, if there is a real problem with jalapenos from Mexico, then the "fix" won't be quick and easy. 80% of the crop of the world's largest producer of fresh chiles would be a huge challenge if major changes had to be made. We'll keep our ear to the ground and let you know if we hear anything coming down the trail on this subject. You know us Chili Dogs. We are always hot on the trail of everything chili. Ahwoooooooooo!

"Secrets of the Hatch (Green Chile)"

Hatch Valley green chile is world-famous and is consumed each year by many people in many places. Arizona, USA, is certainly no exception. The Arizona Republic newspaper published an article today written by Karen Fernau in the Food & Drink section. The title of the article is "Secrets of the Hatch", and it is all about Hatch green chile and pork, a wonderful combination as she puts it. Of course, most of us already knew that.

Anyway, a major part of the article is Karen's report on Michael Meler, his love for Hatch green chile and his recipe for "green-chile pork" with tomatillo puree. Who is Michael Meler? Well, Michael is the chef at Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill (in Phoenix), a restaurant chain known for its chile-inspired cuisine.

If you love green chile stew and other green chile dishes as I do, then you really should read this article. Michael says, "Our green-chile pork is a dish with great harmony, one that people look forward to every year. Other chiles will do, but Hatch lives up to their reputation. People love them, and for good reason. Green chile is really our dish, and people can't seem to get enough."

Michael also says he believes in keeping recipes as simple as possible with a few, fresh, quality ingredients making the difference. Why not take a look at his green-chile pork recipe which is spelled out in this article, and see if you don't think you could do this one at home. I would bet you can. It would be a great dish if you have company coming to watch a football game or something like that. Use this link to the article, and get ready to let your green chile spirit soar!

www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/food/articles/2008/09/17/20080917greenchile0917.html

Great Horchata Made Lola's Way

In the previous post ("Need a cure for chili pepper burn?"), one of the cures mentioned is a Latina drink called Horchata. I told you I would do a post today about Horchata, and here it is. I found several recipes for Horchata which is basically a drink made with rice, water, milk, sugar and cinnamon. Some have vanilla included. Some don't. Anyway, the recipes varied some in the amount of water used, etc., and the ones with less water got the better reviews. Here is one recipe that seemed to me to be a good "average" recipe. It also sounds good, and it should do the trick in helping to calm the burn. It's called "Lola's Horchata." You may want to give it a try.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar

Directions:
1. Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender. Blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.
2. Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.

Need a cure for chili pepper burn?

I belong to the Discovery Channel MythBusters Wiki. It's a forum with a wide variety of subjects including, would you believe, curing chili pepper burn. After all, chili peppers are very popular in many areas of the world, and most people like to eat them because of the "heat" they add to their food.

Sometimes folks overdo it though. They think they can eat anything. Or else they get a dish served to them that is a lot hotter than they expected. One bite and WOW!, he or she is in trouble. Well, take heart. There is hope when it comes to cooling the burn.

Several comments on the MythBusters Wiki suggest that some of the wiki members who reported on this subject had success using a variety of products such as warm tea ("It worked within 10 seconds."), ice cream, bread, salt, sugar and honey. Salt received some rave reviews, but so did sugar and honey. To me, it seems logical that honey and ice cream work because of the sugar content, but maybe there are other factors involved, also. And I'm wondering if the warm tea had sugar in it.

Sugar definitely has the vote of most Hispanic families according to the Wiki. A drink called Horchata which includes sugar is a popular way for them to get the sugar when younger members of the families are learning to eat chili pepper-infused foods. I won't go into detail about Horchata at this time. It deserves its own post which I will probably do tomorrow.

Meanwhile, carry a few packets of sugar with you. You never know when you will come across a great-sounding chili dish you just have to try. It could be scorcher. After all, what is really hot to you may not be all that hot to the person serving the food. You have to be prepared at all times if you live in the world of chili. Ha!

Berridge Farms' Last Weekend for Green Chile Orders

Berridge Farms, "a small town farm on the outskirts of Hatch, New Mexico", sells fresh green chile to a lot of folks, but they are now bringing their green chile order season to an end.

Why are they doing this? Because, "The chile is quickly turning red, so please expect to receive 'Christmas Chile.' Although we fill every box with 90% green only, some will turn red in transit. Please do not order if you will not accept this."

This weekend will be the end of the green chile order season, and the last of the green chiles shipped by Berridge Farms will go out on Monday, 22 SEP 2008. You can't stop the clock, and those great chiles don't stay green forever, folks.

Every chile grower and shipper in the Hatch Valley is in the same situation now, so, if you want to get more green chile this year, contact your supplier immediately. Now is the time to do it. Don't delay! Otherwise, you will have to eat great, new crop Hatch Valley red chile. Not a bad alternative! Ha!

Did Chili Peppers From Mexico Make Them Sick?

During the summer of this year at least 1,440 people in the U.S. became ill with a rare strain of salmonella. The U.S. FDA at first blamed tomatoes, but ended their investigation saying that the strongest evidence pointed to jalapeno and serrano peppers imported from Mexico.

At that point a lot of people in Mexico began saying such things as "no way" and "they aren't making us sick and we eat them all the time." Then they began saying things like "In the U.S., they have weak stomachs, everything makes them sick." And, "Mexico has one of the best cuisines in the world. In the U.S. they don't understand, they have hamburgers and hot dogs. That's not a tradition, that's just junk."

Regardless of whether the real culprit was chili peppers or something else, I'm certain the people who got sick just wanted to get well. Some of them no doubt also want to know what happened and what, if anything, the government is going to do to protect everyone in the future.

Well, it's not a situation that has easy answers. The Associated Press wanted to know more about today's "system" of farms, processing plants, warehouses, import/export regulations, distribution, etc. to help us understand what is involved and what is actually happening with respect to chili peppers coming into the U.S. from Mexico.

The AP published their report a couple of days ago, and yesterday I summarized their findings and added some comments of my own in a newsletter on our support website. If you want to know more about the "system" as reported by the AP, use the link provided below to go to the newsletter page on our website, and then click on the title, "Few Safeguards for Mexican Produce Heading North." It's an interesting situation, and something every chilehead will want to know to continue being an expert on all things chili. Perhaps some of us should even get involved through our elected representatives. What do you think?

Website no longer available.

"Under The Arbor" Chile Pepper Demonstration

"On Saturday, October 4th, 2008, from 1-4 p.m., members of the Tidewater Unit of the Herb Society of America will present a variety of ways to 'spice up your life' using chile peppers ranging from sweet to mild to scorching. 'Under The Arbor' is an informal, drop-in program held periodically in the National Herb Garden. Admission is free."

Did you know that more than 100 varieties of peppers are included in the National Herb Garden at the United States National Arboretum in Washington D.C.? They say, "Some as hot as habaneros and others as mild as a sweet pepper. All growing together in one large bed, the fruits provide a kaleidoscope of color in autumn."

I'm sure that a bed of peppers is a spectacular sight, but are you asking yourself why chili peppers are in an herb garden? If you are, here is the answer. The garden people would tell you, "You may have thought that herbs are just for cooking. Not so - an herb is any plant that serves a purpose other than providing food, wood or beauty. Herbs give us dyes for cloth, essential oils for fragrances, medicines, and even insecticides. And herbs are not just annual or perennial plants - many of our most important herbal products come from trees and shrubs. Every plant in the National Herb Garden, including all of the trees, is an herb."

So, there you have it. The chile peppers are not there because they are a wonderful food or because of their natural beauty. They are there because they have medicinal qualities (such as the widely known benefits of cayenne peppers). What a great testimonial this is for the medicinal benefits of chile peppers! Right?! Otherwise, the way I read it, they wouldn't be there. Don't forget. This is the official National Herb Garden which is part of the United States National Arboretum which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Don't let anyone tell you that chile peppers don't have any medicinal qualities. Ha!

Here is a link to a map with directions to the National Herb Garden in case you are in the Washington D.C. area and want to attend the chile pepper demonstration and see the peppers in the garden. Have fun!

www.usna.usda.gov/Information/directions.html

Scallops With Chipotle-Lime Mayonnaise

They just keep coming up with these great recipes, folks, and I, for one, am very happy about that, especially since this one is seafood. We won't make you go to a website for this one. We'll just give you the whole enchilada right here in this blog post. Okay? By the way, this one was found in a "make it quick" bunch of recipes, so it would be good for a quick lunch or dinner.

Ingredients: 1 lime, 1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular or light), 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a 7 - ounce can of chipotle chiles), 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 1/2 pounds scallops, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
1. Cut lime in half and squeeze juice into s small bowl. Remove seeds, then stir in mayonnaise.
2. Add 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can of chiles to the lime/mayo mix.
3. Stir mayo mix and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. While the oil is heating, rinse the scallops and pat dry.
6. Add the scallops to the hot skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Saute the scallops on 1st side 1-2 minutes. Then turn and cook second side 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Transfer scallops to a serving dish and serve with the lime mayonnaise.

One more thing. To save the chiles in adobo sauce, chop the chiles in their sauce and freeze the mixture in ice-cube trays, measuring 1/2 tablespoon for each "cube." When frozen, transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag and keep in freezer. Then you can easily get the amount of chile in adobo you need later for such things as sauces, marinades and chili.

This recipe is a serving for two, so you may want to do it when you want to have a special, "intimate" dinner. It would be extra special served with guacamole and/or a salad. Enjoy!

Ol' Gringo Chile Sauces and Salsas

"Ol' Gringo specializes in chile sauces and salsas to make authentic New Mexican dishes. Since 1992, Ol' Gringo has delighted thousands of customers with their family chile sauce recipe."

That kind of sums up what they do and how long they've been doing it. And it's another great story. 16 years of making and selling chile sauce. That's a lot of chile sauce, folks!

Each and every business has to decide on a "business model." That means a business has to decide such things as selling direct to the public, selling to retailers, selling to wholesalers or a combination of these. Ol' Gringo sells "gift baskets" (online) direct to the public, but an awful lot of their products are also sold to retail outlets and wholesalers.

For example, one well-known label featuring Ol' Gringo products is Dick's Cafe. Dick's Cafe in Las Cruces, New Mexico will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. You don't stay in business that long unless you are selling quality, and Ol' Gringo products are part of that quality.

Dick's Cafe is not just a great cafe. They also have a website and an online store for fresh green chile and salsa packed under their label by Ol' Gringo. Use the following links to check out Ol' Gringo and Dick's Cafe. We'll be sure and follow through on these two, and help Dick's Cafe celebrate next year.

By the way, be sure and visit the About Us page on the Ol' Gringo website. It's a great story about the history of the company, and how the company got its name. Perhaps, like me, you envy folks like the Ol' Gringo who get to spend their lives in the chile fields and making (and eating) great chile products. What a great life!

Ol' Gringo Chile Company
www.olgringo.com

Dick's Cafe
www.dickscafe.net

Do You Like Pete Seeger Music?

Pete Seeger, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger and Guy Davis are going to perform a special "family concert" in New York in a couple of weeks. Now you're asking, "Why would he put that on a chili blog?"

That's a good question, and there's a good reason. You see, Pete and Tao and Guy are going to be performing (along with lots of others) at "New York's hottest fall tradition", the Chile Pepper Fiesta at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Yep! "---- an afternoon of musical and dance performances, food, and fun from chile-loving regions around the world, where the grooves are smokin', the chile peppers are scorchin' and the dancers are callin' for water!"

The date? Saturday, September 27, 2008 (noon - 6 p.m.) Learn more about the fiesta (schedule, other performers, etc.) by using the link to the official fiesta website provided below. It looks like a fun afternoon in the "Big Apple" if you happen to be in the area. From the website you may even print a coupon to bring with you to receive a free packet of chile pepper seeds so you may grow your own at home.

Border to border, coast and coast and all around the world. The chile pepper reigns supreme! Long live the king of spices!

www.bbg.org/vis2/2008/chilepepperfiesta/

Karen Baldwin's Classic New Mexico Green Chili

Karen says that traditional Mexican Chile Verde is a green chile stew with no tomatoes. But Karen likes a little tomato in her stew. She does warn not to overdo the tomatoes. Too many tomatoes will make the stew red in color instead of green, and will give it a flavor that is heavily tomato. It's supposed to be green chili stew, not tomato soup. Her recipe includes "just a couple of tomatoes for a richer, smoother flavor."

My question for Karen is, "If this is supposed to be a classic, old-fashioned New Mexico green chili, then what ingredients did the originators use?" Seems like it should be the original, classic, old-fashioned recipe.

We probably won't ever know the real, true answer to that question, and we shouldn't let it bother us too much. Her green chile recipe does include pork loin, garlic, red onion and New Mexico green chiles, so it has to be pretty wonderful.

Use the link at the end of this post to go to Karen's web page where her recipe is displayed. We have prepared green chile stew here at the kennel quite a few times, and we have not used a lot of the ingredients she shows in her recipe. Whether simple or complex, green chile stew is wonderful, and fall and winter are just around the corner. Perfect weather for stew. So, give this recipe a look, and then practice making some green chile stew. It's good for you, and it tastes soooooo good!

http://chile.netrelief.com/recipes/karens_green_chili_recipe.shtml

6 Great Mexican Shrimp Recipes

--- on one page! Wow! What a find!

The ones that interest me the most are #3: Coctel De Camaron Campechano (Shrimp Cocktail) and #5: Shrimp Enchiladas in Green Sauce. But, hey, you may want to try something different including a cajun shrimp recipe or a grilled/barbeque shrimp recipe. Links for the cajun and grilled recipes are provided after the main list at the top of the page where it says, "More Shrimp Recipes."

If you love shrimp as we do here at the Chili Dog kennel, then you will find a recipe to try on this page and the other pages. Now, here is that link to get you started. Enjoy!

www.mexican-barbecue-recipes.com/mexican-shrimp-recipe.html

Old Fashioned Colorado Green Chili

Cubed pork, minced garlic, pepper, flour, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, water, diced green chiles, diced onion, salt and pepper.

Yum! Great green chili (from Denver Green Chili)! Follow the link below to learn how much of each ingredient to use to make this chili, and how to prepare it. We thought we should give you a great green chili recipe in honor of all the Hatch Valley chile ("e" in New Mexico) farmers who are currently harvesting and roasting their famous green chile peppers. Okay, here's the link. Enjoy!

http://denvergreenchili.com/coloradogreenchili1.aspx

New Chili Pepper Research Results From Bolivia

Douglas Levey, a Zoology professor and evolutionary ecologist from the University of Florida, recently led a team of scientists to the rural areas of Bolivia to study chili pepper plants and chili peppers that grow in the wild there. They were especially interested in studying native populations of plants in their natural habitat to determine why some chili peppers are "hot" and some are not.

Their work is finished for now, and they just reported to the scientific community. The project was funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society, and we believe it was money and time well spent. They learned a lot of very interesting things about chili peppers - many of them with probable commercial applications in the chili pepper industry.

Read all about their work and results in the newsletter that we just posted on our support website. Follow the link below to the main newsletter page, and then click on the newsletter title, "New Research Results: Why Some Chili Peppers Are Hot and Some Are Not." The newsletter will appear for you to read. If you are a true chili lover, you will want to add this new knowledge to your personal database of all things chili. Who knows, maybe you will also want to go to Bolivia to see for yourself. It would be a fun trip, I'm sure.

Website no longer available.

How To Make a World Famous Enchilada

It's easy, folks. All you have to do is start with 750 pounds of stoneground corn (to make masa tortillas), 175 gallons of vegetable oil (for cooking the tortillas), 75 gallons of red chile sauce, 175 pounds of grated cheese and 50 pounds of onions.

No! Wait! I'm not kidding! Actually, you would have to have more than this if you want to cook the new Guinness Book of World Records world's largest enchilada, because that's exactly what Whole Enchilada Fiesta founder and chef Robert V. Estrada uses to make his world record largest enchilada at the Whole Enchilada Fiesta in Las Cruces, New Mexico each year.

The next Whole Enchilada Fiesta is just around the corner on 26-28 SEP 2008. The 28th Annual version. In Las Cruces. And you can learn a lot more about it by using the link below to our support website (just scroll down to New Mexico) and then using the links there in our special events listing. Many people from many states attend the fiesta. Perhaps you will want to join them and eat a sample of the world's largest enchilada.

Website no longer available.

Mission Tostada! Tostada! Recipe

Tostada shells, salsa, sour cream, taco spices and seasonings, refried beans, water, ground beef, green onions, Monterey Jack shredded cheese, avocado and tomatoes.

Sound good? Learn how much of each of these ingredients to use and how to prepare them for great tasting Tostada! Tostada! tostadas from Mission, the flour tortilla (and lots of other stuff) people. Just use this link, scroll the right side of the page and enjoy!

www.missionmenus.com/Cookbook.aspx?rid=2784

Chile Dog 4's Hatch Valley Chile Festival Report

The Hatch Valley Chile Festival was held in Hatch, New Mexico USA on 30-31 AUG 2008. Here's Chile Dog 4's first-hand report about the festival. (She lives in Hatch.) I'm afraid it was not the kind of festival everyone hoped for, but all is not lost. We will explain after the report. We tell it like it is folks.

"Well, it's over. The festival was not like other years. I talked to all the Chile vendors, and they were not happy with the turnout. People were saying that gas prices were keeping people away this year. The only people here were die-hard Chile lovers that need their fix. Ha! I talked to my sister-in-law, and she said it was the worst year ever.

Gilly's did very well. Chile Willie did OK. Every vendor I talked to was not happy, but was OK with it. We had rain all weekend, but not bad. Just a light rain. During other festivals we would have 20-30,000 people in town. This year it was only about 6-7,000. I got a few emails from people who were here in the past, and they said gas prices were keeping them home. But they wanted prices for Chile this year, so maybe it will all work out for Chile Willie and Gilly's."

There you have it, folks. Rain, high gas prices, poor economy and people holding onto their money. Not a good mix for this part of the country. However, I'm certain they will try again next year. Everyone understands the situation. The good news is that there are people out there who want Chile even if they didn't make it to the festival. So, mail order takes over from here. At least a lot of the chile growers will be helped by this, and they have great chiles to ship. The rain and high gas prices may keep some of the folks away from the festival, but the demand for great Hatch chiles goes on. And I think it always will. There's just something special about Hatch chiles.

Review: The Deli Express Posada Beef Chimichanga

A couple of days ago I was out running errands and running late on lunch. I decided to stop at the local C store and see if they had a slice of pizza. They didn't, so I decided to look at their selection of Deli Express sandwiches and burritos. I quickly settled on a Posada Beef Chimichanga with shredded beef, green chili and cheese. As I started eating the "chimi" after popping it in the microwave, I said to myself, "I should do a review blog post on this."

Well, here's the post, and here's my review. The "chimi" had a very good flavor, and I felt it was large enough to be a meal with a drink. The combination of ingredients is great, and the blend or ratio was very good. The price was good, also, for what I got ($1.99).

There was only one characteristic of the product that I felt was less than desirable. To me, a "chimi" should be cooked golden brown and crunchy. My "chimi" was not nearly crunchy enough for me. In fact, it was more like a burrito with a soft tortilla. Nor exactly a perfect score, but I would probably eat another one since I really like this combination of ingredients, and the overall quality of the food was good.

When I got home (I brought the wrapper with me), I decided to do a little research on Deli Express. A very interesting story. Here's a short version for you.

Back in 2001, Deli Express was voted Vendor of the Year by the Convenience Store Industry and inducted into the Convenience Store Industry Hall of Fame. In the Hall of Fame are other companies including Anheuser-Busch, Frito Lay and Coca-Cola - pretty good company by anyone's standards.

Now it's 7 years later, and Deli Express is still going strong. They have better variety, even fresher products and new package design. Founded in 1955, Deli Express products can be found in over 25,000 convenience stores and other food outlets across the U.S. Today, as a division of E. A. Sween Company, Deli Express is positioned to continue its course of improved products, improved variety and solid business growth.

From their headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota (some would say the "heartland of America"), they want to continue winning the hearts of sandwich, burrito and chimichanga eaters all across the land, and I'm betting they will do it. A lot of sandwich companies have come and gone since 1955. It appears that Deli Express has "the right stuff."

Does your favorite C store carry Deli Express Posada Beef Chimichangas with shredded beef, green chili and cheese? If not, ask if they can get them for you. You might be surprised, and, yes, I am ending this post this way on purpose. Just had to get that part in there one more time about the shredded beef, green chili and cheese. Yum!

Chili & Country Music - A Winning Combination

Don't start to fret, folks. We will get to the chili. This is a story worth reading.

If you are any kind of music history buff at all, then I'm certain you've heard of the original Victor Talking Machine Company phonograph. Well, as with any business, the Victor people wanted to sell a lot of phonographs. "Records" were being "pressed" for the machines, and they knew what they needed was for more people to want to play records at home. To complete this new era of home entertainment they concluded that what they needed next was an explosion of a new kind of music that a lot of people would want to hear and play. This was 1927, and the economy was starting to feel a little shaky. They would have to hurry.

The Victor people had everything figured right, and they completed their plan by sending music producer Ralph Peer out to find and establish the new music. Modern musical scholars call what happened next "the Big Bang of Country Music."

Ralph Peer had heard there was a lot of great music out in the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina and other nearby states. But how was he going to get to hear a lot of it? Well, he decided to set up an audition and recording studio, and issue an open invitation for people to come play their music. He looked at a map and considered other things such as a passenger rail line through town.

He settled on the town of Bristol which straddles the Tennessee/Virginia border. It had a rail line and the attraction of a town in two states. It was close enough to North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia, and the musical groups were chompin' at the bits to have a chance to have their music on a record.

Peer set up his equipment in a hat warehouse in Bristol, and a long line of "front-porch fiddlers, crooners and pickers" came out of the "hills" to showcase their talents. This group of people included names that are now world-famous. Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family and Ernest "Pop" Stoneman to mention a few. In all, 19 artists were picked (pun intended - ha!) to record a total of 76 songs.

The recordings were pressed onto records, and radio stations started playing the new music. It was like they were giving away gold. The public went crazy, and the "new music" was off and running. A lot of people now say that Bristol, TN/VA is the birthplace of Country Music.

Bristol has certainly claimed the title, and several years ago they decided to start having a festival each year to celebrate their heritage and country music. The festival, like their country music, has been very successful, and, now they are getting ready for their 2008 version with so many country music acts and other events it's hard to count them. One of the special events is a chili cookoff. Hey! You can't have a great country music festival without having a chili cookoff! Right?!

The festival is just around the bend (as they say a lot in the mountains). 19-21 SEP 2008 to be more exact. Last year they estimated 23,000 people attended. This year's festival will feature legends such as Doc Watson, Dr. Ralph Stanley and Wayne Henderson as well as many contemporary artists. If you are in the area, you really should go. It's sounds like a great, great time, and, hey, you can even get some great chili since they are going to have a People's Choice category among others.

Here is a link to the festival website if you would like to learn more. It's a great honor for chili to be associated with an event like the 8th Annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

www.bristolrhythm.com/index.php

OK To Eat Peppers From Mexico Again. However,

The U.S. government reported that it appears that the recent salmonella outbreak appears to be over for several reasons. It also said that the ultimate source of the outbreak that sickened 1,440 people (the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in a decade) may never be known for certain.

The reasons the government is saying it is "over" are: the number of cases of illness peaked back in May and June, the number of new cases has now dropped to "normal" levels and there have been no new "restaurant clusters of cases" since early July.

Tomatoes were never officially cleared as the source (both domestic and imported), but the strongest evidence pointed to fresh jalapeno and serrano peppers and a farm in Mexico. Based on data available the government has lifted the warning on the peppers, but they are warning that this lifting of the warning does not mean that another outbreak can't or won't occur.

David Acheson, FDA food-safety chief, said, "None of us can provide a cast-iron guarantee that salmonella Saintpaul will not re-emerge." The most important thing for all of us to remember at this point is to throughly wash all fresh peppers before using or consuming them, and listen for more possible outbreak warnings.

The latest outbreak sickened people in 43 states in the U.S. and in Washington D.C. Texas was the hardest hit state with 40% of all reported cases.

Rocky Mountain Regional & Colorado State Chili Cookoff Results

Would you believe they were worried about snow in August impacting their cookoff? Well, they were. Read this fabulous report from Patty McCarthy (Chairperson), and find out why they were concerned it might happen. Congratulations, folks! Wow! It sounds like it was a grand ole time in the Rockies.

Rocky Mountain Regional & Colorado State Cookoff Results
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Two great cookoffs were held at the base of the Winter Park Ski Resort in Colorado this past weekend. The weather cooperated fully versus the weekend before with 3 - 4" of slushy snow. Patty McCarthy, Chairperson, her "main" helper Aaron Davidson, and countless other volunteers, helped make these cookoffs a huge success. Kathy Plager, and her scorekeeping crew, kept all the scorekeeping duties running smoothly, and as usual, kept Bob Plager, Chief Judge, in line.
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When the Ski Train arrived from Denver around noon on Saturday, 650 people immediately hit the cookoff area for People's Choice Chili. Over $1800 was raised selling tasting cups for the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) in Winter Park this weekend. The "Guac-off" Guacamole division on Saturday was a success again, with more cooks saying they'd do it next year. Very nice porcelain chili bowls and cash money was given out to the winners.
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On to the winners:
Rocky Mountain Regional (Saturday)
Guac-off - 5 contestants
HM 4th Place - Andy Gatschet (tied for 3rd)

3rd Place - Hank Wedemeyer
2nd Place - Bonnie Tomasek
1st Place - Nolan Cordova
.
Salsa - 8 contestants
3rd Place- Lynn Pruett
2nd Place- Chuck Burdick
1st Place- Nolan Cordova
.
Chili Verde - 10 contestants
3rd Place- Eunice Dortch
2nd Place - Kathy Weiss

1st Place - Mike Gatschet
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Red - 20 contestants
HM 5th Place - Lynn Pruett
HM 4th Place - Mike Rook
3rd Place - Dianne Gatschet

2nd Place - Lynn Kost Virant
1st Place - Bonnie Tomasek (A runaway, she was very surprised) - Completes her Hat Trick
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Colorado State (Sunday)
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Salsa - 8 contestants
3rd Place - Dan Dortch
2nd Place - Tori Cordova
1st Place - Chuck Burdick
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Chili Verde - 13 contestants
3rd Place - Andy Gatschet
2nd Place - Greg Virant
1st Place - Dianne Gatschet (one happy family this weekend)
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Red - 13 contestants
5th Place - Alan Pan

4th Place - Judy Wedemeyer
3rd Place - Nolan Cordova
2nd Place - Mike Rook (Yes, that's 6 (six) 2nd Place finishes this year)
1st Place - Lynn Kost Virant (Grinning from ear to ear) - Completes her Hat Trick

It's All About the Aromas and Flavors

Luis and Julio Mata joined forces in 1992 with Moises Treves to open the Mexican food restaurant, Such Is Life, in Phoenix, Arizona USA. So, from the beginning of their restaurant careers, the name of their restaurant did not seem to do justice to what was happening inside.

What was happening inside starts with what was not happening. Luis and Julio purposely left tacos, burritos and chips and salsa off the menu. Yes, even chips and salsa. A gutsy move in the American Southwest. I'm sure more than once they heard, "You gotta be kidding!," from a first-time customer (before he got his food). But Luis and Julio knew what they were doing. It's all about the aromas and flavors and the delightful combinations of ingredients.

Instead of the business-as-usual taco and burrito fare, they introduced the area to Yucatan-inspired and Mexico City-inspired "true" Mexican food. The food was so sensational and the reviews by the local food critics so equally sensational, that national food writers soon came and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now Luis and Julio are out to prove that this "true" Mexican food can work anywhere. They picked out a mostly unsuccessful restaurant to buy in a mostly unsuccessful retail strip mall along a forlorn stretch of Cave Creek Road, and they have turned it into a white tablecloth restaurant with equally spectacular fare and an equally unspectacular name (again). The Plaza Grill.

How does this sound? Mole poblano, Carne Tampiquena or Sea-Bass Veracruz preceeded by the poblano pepper coated with diced shrimp, garlic and Chihuahua cheese appetizer. Cloth napkins and fresh flowers on the tables. South-of-the-border aromas coming out of the kitchen. Wow!

Word gets around fast when there is food like this to be savored and semi-worshipped. People are coming to the Plaza Grill, and things are great overall. Luis and Julio only had to make one small concession to the local folks. The folks on Cave Creek Road get to have chips and salsa, but even their salsa is special. Remember, it is all about the aromas and flavors. "What good is 'pepper hot' if you can't taste the food?," say Luis and Julio. The "true" flavors of Mexico. Ole!

I guess they just want to prove that success comes from the food and not a name.

Is the "Chile Soul" of Mexico Disappearing?

Quote: "Chile, they say, is the soul of the Mexicans -- a nutrient, a medicine, a drug, a comfort. For many Mexicans, if it were not for the existence of chile, their national identity would begin to disappear." (Arturo Lomeli, author of "El Chile y Otros Picantes")

Some say he is not only talking about the consumption of chile peppers in Mexico, but also the growing, the nurturing, and the living with the chile plant almost as members of the same family. Some also say the disappearance of the soul of Mexico is beginning because of the importation and sales of chiles from China.

Chinese de Arbol chiles, Chinese anchos and other popular Mexican varieties are finding their way to the main market in Mexico City. Some vendors are now reporting that the Chinese chiles, because of a lower price, are outselling homegrown chiles two to one.

Not only are imports from China putting pressure on Mexican chile farmers, they are causing ripple effects. Partially as a result of the chiles from China, imports of Mexican chiles into the U.S. have increased dramatically putting U.S. chile farmers under similar pressure.

Probably since the very early days of man, there has been a global spice trade, and it continues today. The origin of the spices may change, but it appears that global demand never will. Personally, I'm thankful for that. I would rather have a Chinese or Mexican chile than no chile. How about you?

2008 Oregon State Chili Cookoff Champions

Two days ago the Bonanza, Oregon Volunteer Fire Department hosted a very successful 4th Annual Oregon State Chili Cookoff in conjunction with the Bonanza Homemade Hobby Festival. This ICS sanctioned cookoff drew contestants from several western states as well as Oregon, and the winners list is a great testimonial to the tremendous nationwide popularity of chili and the large number of people from all over who love to prepare it in competitions and at home as well I'm certain. See how many different states you can find in this list.

Salsa: 1st place - Lynn Robinson, Lincoln, CA; 2nd place - Debra Turner, Taylorsville, UT; 3rd place - Linda Hammerich, Bonanza, OR

Chili Verde: 1st place - Jim Beaver, Monmouth Lake, CA; 2nd place - Scott Stanley, Tacoma, WA; 3rd place - Dionne Cooley, Reno, NV

Red Chili: 1st place - Harry Robinson, Lincoln, CA; 2nd place - Ray Bogart, Boulder City, NV; 3rd place - Jim Beaver, Monmouth Lake, CA

Congratulations folks! I wouldn't be surprised if the Robinson's from Lincoln, CA suddenly have a host of friends who just happen to stop by in hopes of getting a taste of some championship salsa and chili before the Robinson's head for Las Vegas and the ICS 2008 World Championship Chili Cookoff. Personally, I'm kinda partial to Chili Verde, so I'm thinking of heading to Monmouth Lake, CA. Ha! Have some fun folks! Eat more chili!

Thanks Bonanza, OR for putting on another great chili cookoff and showing the world that chili should be the official food of planet Earth!

World-Famous Ben's Chili Bowl

What restaurant is now recognized world-wide as the "must go" place to eat when visiting the Washington D.C. area? Wow! That's right! How did you know that? Ha!

Two hours ago (U.S. PDT) CBS television paid tribute to Ben's Chili Bowl through it's show, Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. You see, this is a special time for this special restaurant. Two days ago marked the 50th anniversary of the restaurant opening for business on U Street in Washington D.C. Many world leaders and celebrities have eaten at the restaurant through the years. U Street had its ups and downs as an area of the city, but Ben's Chili Bowl was always there. Congratulations Ben's!

Bill Cosby is probably the most outspoken fan of Ben's. He hosted a big gala a couple of days ago that celebrated the anniversary, and he likes to tell this story. "When you bite into a Chili Smoke you immediately think 'Thank you Jesus!.' It may be the only time that you say a blessing for your meal and God knows you really mean it."

You absolutely must read the History page on their website. The link to that page is provided below. Here is one part that really caught my eye. "After 50 years, Ben's is the place it always has been. The counter, booths and stools are all original; the fresh homemade chili is still made with love, using the same secret recipe." Charles Osgood reported that someone asked the folks at Ben's if they were ready to share their secret chili recipe. The answer? You guessed it. "No, we are not ready yet."

Please take the time to read the History page. You will be amazed at what a great bowl of chili can do! Now, here's that link.

www.benschilibowl.com/history.html

Don Battales, Aerospace Engineer and Jalapeno Pepper Grower

Don Battales grows jalapenos in Northern Thailand and in Kunming China. He answered this question posted by "Maria" on an AllExperts forum a few days ago: "My jalapenos were doing well up to now but suddenly I'm seeing peppers with a crackled look to their skin. What do you think this is, and does it mean I cannot eat these peppers?"

Here is Don's answer to Maria: "The cracked look to the skin is natural. It means that the peppers should be picked and consumed. If you wish to wait until a few turn red then you can dry and smoke them. I grow jalapenos commercially in Northern Thailand and Kunming China. The weather in Thailand is hot. Now we are in the rainy season and growing is difficult. In Kunming the weather is cooler and they grow better there. Best wishes."

I'm certain Don's answer was very helpful to Maria. Now here is one more question. What do you call a dried and smoked jalapeno? Answer: a chipotle chili. The chipotle trend is probably one of the strongest in the chili world right now. There are chipotle sauces showing up everywhere. Some people like them. Some people don't. I believe there are more people who like them, but maybe that's just because I like them. What do you think?

Koreans Love Their Chile Peppers

It's been reported that Koreans lead the world in per capita consumption of hot peppers. The latest annual consumption number is 4 kilograms or 8.8 pounds of peppers per person.

One reason they lead the world now is the fact that capsaicin levels have more than doubled in the past 5 years in traditional cook-at-home Korean dishes such as Fermented Cabbage Kimchi. Also, Korean researchers have reported that pepper hot dishes in restaurants are rapidly growing in popularity.

Yes, the chile pepper is gaining ground throughout the world, not just in countries like Mexico and the U.S. Is this hard to understand? Not for a diehard chili head. How about you? Are the foods you eat getting "hotter?" Korea has set the bar higher for the rest of us, so we had better get with it. Right?!!!

Tomatillo, the "Mexican Tomato"

In the previous post we told you all about Herdez Salsa Verde Mexicana Picante. The number one ingredient is "tomatillos." Then we promised that the next post would be about this little wonder fruit. So, here it is.

What may be green, yellow or purple or some shade of two or more of those colors? Yes, that's right. The tomatillo. The color of the tomatillo you use actually depends on many things: the country of origin, the variety, the degree of maturity when you pick it. But regardless of the color, the "Mexican tomato" will add a delicious tartness to the salsa you make or the dish you cook.

The tomatillo is a member of the Nightshade family like the tomato and the chile pepper and many others. It has a very interesting history, and it is still being used today. Actually in increasing numbers in the U.S.

The story of the tomatillo is too long to put in a post on this blog, so we decided to give it its due and do a newsletter about it. We did the newsletter, and we posted it in the NEWSLETTERS section of our support website. If you are a devoted chili head, you will want to read this newsletter if you don't know an awful lot about the tomatillo which is so widely used. Here is a link that will take you to the NEWSLETTERS page. When you get there just click on the title of the newsletter, and it will appear for you to read.

Be sure and check back with our blog as often as you can. We just might be talking about the tomatillo some more one of these days.

Website no longer available.

Herdez Salsa Verde Mexicana Picante

Do you sometimes wish for a way to change things up in your cooking? Well, Herdez Salsa Verde may be your answer. It tastes wonderful, and it's made from just a few ingredients. Yes, just a few. Five (5) to be exact: tomatillos, onions, serrano peppers, iodized salt and cilantro. Doesn't that sound like a terrific combination? Oh yes, the heat rating is HOT, so you will also get a little kick when you use it.

Herdez Salsa Verde, like Herdez's other famous salsas, are products of Mexico, and the company has been making salsas for many years. The company that was the beginning of today's Herdez was incorporated in 1923. We'll give you more information about the company real soon, but for now we want to let Herdez Salsa Verde be the star of the show.

herdeztraditions.com says, "Salsas are the heart of Mexican cooking. Herdez Salsa Verde (authentic Mexican cuisine) is lauded for its variety, and the green tomatillos give Salsa Verde a distinctive, sweeter flavor for the cook looking to change things up." So, if you want to change things up, try some "green." There's more to the chili world than "red."

Wait! What? What is a tomatillo? Well, we will tell you about the tomatillo is the next post. Be sure and come back and read all about it.

Chile Willie's in Hatch, New Mexico

Chile Willie has been farming chile peppers in the Hatch Valley, New Mexico for 40 years. He and his brothers helped his dad on the farm. Then his brothers left the farm for other adventures, but Willie stayed on the farm. Chile is in his blood, and always will be.

But Chile Willie also says it is time for him to join the virtual world, so he had a website done to help him sell chile peppers and other chile-related items. We included his website on our support website in the "Where To Get Chili Peppers and Products" section, because we want to help small farmers stay in business. We need them as part of the mix.

Use the link we provide here to go to Chile Willie's page, and read more about him. Then click on his website address on that page and see what he has to offer. We know he will appreciate it just like we appreciate him. Thanks!

Website no longer available.

Hatch Valley Chile Report From Chile Dog 4 (Angie)

Hey everyone! We have great news! The latest official member of our Chili Dog group is Chile Dog 4 (Angie), and she lives in Hatch, New Mexico. Notice we spelled her official title with an "e" instead of an "i" (Chile). Angie says in New Mexico, chile is always spelled with an "e", so we had to use an "e" in her official title. Ha!

Angie is a genuine chile farm farmer's daughter who has done it all on the farm: driving tractors, bucking hay, harvesting chile peppers, preserving chile peppers and cooking chile peppers ("just like Mom"). She knows the valley. She knows the business, and she knows a lot of people. She is going to be giving us regular "crop reports" and other items of interest from Hatch so we can have all the latest news from Hatch and impress all of our "chili friends." Ha! Welcome, Angie! Here is her first report:

"The chile here in the valley is doing real good despite all the rain we have had. The farmers were afraid of root rot because of so much rain, and it can still happen. We got some more rain this past weekend, but the sun is out now. I think everything is okay. We need the rain, but too much will rot the plant. There seems to be a bigger yield per acre this year. It could be because of the rain.

All the chile vendors are roasting chile for the visitors to the valley, and it smells soooooooo good! In all the years I have been here I don't remember so many people in town. And big rigs are all over the valley for the onion crop. It feels like a big city lately! Too much for me! Ha!

I know the vendors are selling lots of chile now, and man it smells so good. I made rellanos last Friday. They were so good, but they were not hot enough for me. Darn! Ha! Later!"

Well, there you have it folks. Let's hope they don't get too much more rain before the harvest is over. Sounds like they've had just the right amount. Thanks for the report, Angie! We are all looking forward to more news from the world-famous Hatch Valley.

Be sure and visit our support website, and learn more about chili peppers. Or is that chile peppers? Ha! (Website no longer available.)

Nick Gardner, 2008 Iowa State Fair Chili Cookoff Champion

Congratulations Nick!

The 2008 Iowa State Fair, one of the largest in the nation, just concluded, and Nick Gardner, from Grimes, Iowa, is the Iowa State Fair Chili Cookoff Champion AGAIN! That's right. AGAIN! Nick won last year, also. Sounds like he really has this chili thing down to an art.

I wonder if he used the exact same recipe this year. We'll try to find out and we will try to learn all of his secrets. Ha! Fat chance! I'm sure he would like to win again next year, and he won't be giving out any of his big secrets. Especially if he is going to Las Vegas after this state fair cookoff.

Nick's team is the "Hawkeye Chili" team, as in Iowa Hawkeyes, and he is a card-carrying member of the International Chili Society which is going to hold its World Championship Chili Cookoff in Las Vegas in October (see earlier post about this event).

Again, congratulations Nick! Keep cookin' that chili. The world needs a lot of it.

The 19th International Pepper Conference

Would you believe that pepper enthusiasts and scientists from around the world have met every two years since 1973 in New Jersey to discuss things like new technology, innovative ideas and cutting-edge research in all areas of pepper production throughout the world? Well, it's true.

And they are going to do it again next month. 7-10 SEP 2008 to be more exact. Why New Jersey? Well, New Jersey has long been known as "The Garden State", and over 3,000 acres of peppers are grown each year in southern New Jersey for fresh produce markets in the northeast U.S.

There will be a tour of some of the pepper farms as part of the conference, and it sounds like a fun time overall since the site of the conference, the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, is just a few blocks away from the world famous Atlantic City casinos, boardwalk and beach.

Hopefully, there will be some exciting pepper news and info to report from the conference. We'll try to find out and report it. Meanwhile, if you would like to read more about the conference, the meeting agenda, etc., here is a link to the website that tells all about it. Have fun in Atlantic City, if only in your mind!

http://njveg.rutgers.edu/NJpepperconference/index.html

Grilled Steak Tacos With Poblano-Mango Salsa

Top sirloin steak sizzling on the grill. Poblano peppers and onion slices sizzling on the grill. Wow! What a combination! And mango, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice. If that doesn't sound like the makin's of a fine chili pepper meal I don't know what does.

If we have your attention now, and your taste buds are quivering just follow the link to this fabulous " grillin' " recipe on our support website from beef.org. We just love it when we find one or create one that includes a great combination of ingredients like this one. Don't you agree that this recipe sounds like it has a great combination of ingredients? Take a closer look, and please let us hear from you if you try it. Here's that link.

Website no longer available.

Chef Gustavo Chavez is "El Chile Mayor"

Varied and subtle nuances define the cuisine of Mexico. That's what Chef Gustavo Chavez learned as he watched his parents lovingly prepare delicious, homemade meals for himself and his 10 siblings. Gustavo fell in love with food during that childhood, and that love endures today as he does his life's work as a chef and food expert.

In 12 short years since he opened a restaurant in Miami, Gustavo has become a trendsetter, a sought after entertainer chef and a world traveler. He's always on the lookout for great "chile cuisine", and always experimenting with his own ideas that have their roots in his parents' cooking.

Chef Gustavo Chavez is best known as "El Chile Mayor" (Big Chile) on Univision's Despierta America. A renowned chef and culinary expert in Mexican cuisine, he also entertains and educates as a regular guest on "Despierta America" and hosts his own radio program on Miami's 88.3 FM Radio Paraiso Station. His radio program is called "Cocinando con el Chile" (Cooking with the Chile).

You may read more about him by using the link we are providing to the Bio page on his website. Then, if you are in the Miami area, you may want to tune in to his radio program or watch Despierta America when he is going to be on the show.

More and more people are learning the nuances of cooking with chile peppers. There are so many wonderful ways to use them. Perhaps you, too, should have your own radio program. Let us know if you do, and we will help you become world famous at the same time we promote the great chile pepper. Now, here is the link.

http://chefelchilemayor.com/id1.html