American Food Festivals - This staple of New Mexican cuisine is now spreading beyond the Southwest
This Southern New Mexico city is the home of the Hatch Chile.
One of the wonders of America's diverse geography and land mass is the food that is tied to it. Whether it is Maine lobsters, Michigan cherries, or Idaho potatoes, many foods are tied to climate and geography.
With this in mind, our next tour stop is the southern New Mexico city of Hatch, home of the Hatch Chile. The famous green chile, once a regional specialty, is gaining popularity nationwide.
So, what exactly is a Hatch Chile?
The website A Taste of Home describes this Champagne of chiles as follows:
Hatch chiles are a special New Mexican chile, grown specifically in the Hatch Valley region. Like Champagne, this chile must be from the Hatch region in order to claim that name. Their unique flavor is said to be imparted from the rich soil of the Rio Grande area where they are grown, though they're delicious wherever you can find them. They're most similar to Anaheim peppers, and their spice level can vary greatly from low heat to quite spicy.
A more in-depth history of Hatch Chile can be read here. It should be noted for those thrill seekers hoping to defy the Scovill scale, Hatch Chiles can range from mild to spicy, and are not know for super heat like a ghost pepper.
With that out of the way, this year's 52 annual festival is on Labor Day weekend on August 31 and September 1.
Along with enjoying roasted chiles on everything from hamburgers to local specialties like New Mexico-style enchiladas, festival goers can learn how to tie a ristra, the traditional New Mexico method for drying chiles. Of course, for those less handy, pre-tied ristras are available for purchase.
Like other festivals, live music will be featured, and there will be competitive eating contests, including a chile-eating contest. For those participants who perhaps ingest a particularly hot chile, there will also be an ice cream-eating competition.
Of course, there will be plenty of chili roasting and cooking demonstrations. Unlike other festivals, the events will be held at several venues within the city of Hatch.
Located in southern New Mexico, Hatch and nearby Las Cruces can be reached most conveniently by air travel to El Paso, Texas. However, for those who want to explore the numerous attractions in the Land of Enchantment, from Carlsbad Caverns in the south to the beautiful towns of Sante Fe and Taos and the beautiful mountain vistas in the north, air travel to Albuquerque might be the better choice.
Either way, a trip to the Hatch Chile Festival is a great way to explore New Mexico.
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