PrintRoasting chiles in New Mexico
For years, I've wanted to visit New Mexico when they're roasting chiles. And now it appears I have an excuse for a road trip that goes through there. I assume this happens in the autumn, and I know, sort of, about the Hatch Chile Festival. But where (else) does this actually happen? And how does one find out, beyond smelling the aroma from a short distance away? I have visions of someone setting up in a high school parking lot and folks paying X amount per pound to have their chiles roasted....
Information, please! Thanks---
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3 Comments:
Generally, the roasting season starts in late August and runs through September-October. Your vision of the high school parking lot is not far from the truth. I live in the middle Rio Grande valley where chile is roasted at local farms up and down I-25 -- and even outside grocery stores. I used to live behind a large produce stand, and I can tell you that the aroma of roasting chile is almost hypnotic. Hatch has the reputation for having the best chile anywhere, but I'm partial to what's grown right here in Socorro County. This fall, a friend and I peeled, bagged and froze 90 pounds of the stuff. Green chile is addictive!
hatlady at 5:44PM on 01/23/08
I don't know if this helps too much, but I grew up in Southeastern Arizona and we always had chile roasting season. It was everywhere, from random vendors on the side of the road to grocery stores that would roast chiles on the spot for you. The chiles were authentic, and hatlady is right—the aroma is hypnotic. Anyway, I might not have a point, other than you can find good chiles and chile roasts outside NM, if you end up missing a festival or something.
kmnola at 11:34PM on 01/23/08
When I lived in Colorado, the Hatch chiles were abundant and roasters were allowed to "set up" everywhere - even Wal Mart parking lot! People would buy 40 lbs of chiles and wait while the barrel roaster did its job.
As for an "event" the best thing to do is visit NM tourism website and do a search or send someone from the chamber of commerce an e-mail.
chiff0nade at 8:24AM on 01/24/08