Green Chile season is right around the corner. As most of our Colorado vendors know, just a few hundred miles south of Denver lies the best green chile in the world. Some claim Hatch, New Mexico, (southern NM) as the premier green chile, while others believe that sweeter versions are grown in the north. Whatever your preference, New Mexico is the place to be if you like chile.

 

Chile. Yes, with an "e" rather than an "i". The "i" at the end changes the meaning of the word from a type of pepper to a dish typically made with beans and beef. In New Mexico people enjoy slathering chile on everything from eggs to beans to pork. Green chile is the freshly picked and roasted version, whereas red chile is a powder made out of green chiles that have been left on the vine to redden and then dried and ground into a powder. Red chile is suitable for using as a spice or creating a succulent, spicy sauce by simply adding a little water and flour.

 

We created the Southwest Chile Verde and Southwest Chile Roja to appeal to those who like things a little spicy. Although they do not have the heat level of the Red Jalapeno Pasta, they do have lots of intense flavor. I've created a new recipe for the Southwest Chile Verde which incorporates another traditional New Mexican dish: calabacitas. This is a summertime favorite in New Mexico combining garden-fresh zucchini, corn and chile peppers. It's usually served as a side dish, but I added a little extra broth to draw it out as a sauce for pasta. Although it was created for the Chile Verde pasta, it would be equally as good atop the Chile Roja.

 

I've also created a new recipe featuring the Basil Tangerine that plays off of Thai flavors. The recipe accenuates both the basil and the tangerine, while at the same time incorporating fresh veggies from your local produce vendors.

 

So, if you haven't already ordered the Basil Tangerine or Southwest Chile Verde or Southwest Chile Roja, I hope these recipes will offer some incentive.

 

Emily and Ben of the Little Red Hens in Denver have told us that they just created a Frequent Buyer Program. They have a card they are handing out to customers that allow them to receive one pound free after they buy 10 individual pounds of pasta, or a half a pound free after they purchase 10, individual half-pounds of pasta.

 

Are you all using weights for your tents? The necessity of this was brought close to home for me a couple of weeks ago in Boulder when out of nowhere a "micro-burst" of wind came down the canyon and ripped through the village of vendors. Three vendors had tents literally lift off the ground and snap in two. I've seen quite a number of ways to hold tents down, from 2.5 gallon jugs of water to actual barbells, whatever you use, just make sure it works! And, if any of you out there have any other ideas for weighting down tents, please pass along the information

 

I've noticed in some of the photos that have been sent that a few vendors are hanging braids of garlic from the "rafters" of their tents. I think this is a terrific idea and adds a wonderful touch to the booth.

 

Food for Thought
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
Virgina Woolf

Mange!
Annie