Taste the Heat

The heat's not getting to you.

You do smell chiles.

Crews at Fiesta Foods at 1012 S.E. 10th Ave. and Amigos United at 3300 E. Interstate 40, are roasting peppers from Hatch, N.M., the chile capital of this region at least, if not the world.

Fiesta Foods has a double-barrel roaster going in the parking lot at S.E. 10th and Arthur St. I saw it today while driving back from an afternoon appointment.

Amigos United will wrap up its Get Fired Up Hatch Chile Roast Festival this weekend. Roasting time runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it's a complimentary service for customers who purchase a full 25-pound case or a half case.

These are the peppers that inspire all New Mexico restaurants to ask, "Red, green or Christmas."

Sometimes, I want the purity of either red or green, and sometimes there's nothing like the heat of both topping your enchiladas.

So who loves chiles? Any good recipes to share?