Chiles heat things up at Gelson’s
For the past four decades, thousands of devotees across the nation have spent their Labor Day weekends making tracks to a small village in New Mexico’s Doña Ana County called Hatch.
With a population just under 1,600, Hatch doesn’t offer much in the way of infrastructure. But then those who make the annual pilgrimage aren’t there for the town’s booming tourism industry — they’re there for the chiles.
Boasting the title “Chile Capital of the World,” Hatch is home to the aptly named Hatch chile, a variety of pepper that when grown elsewhere is known as the New Mexico chile or, more vaguely, southwestern chile. Every year, Hatch celebrates the year’s harvest with a Hatch Valley Chile Festival, now in its 45th year.
On Saturday, to spare La Cañadans the 1,300-mile round trip journey, Gelson’s Market on Foothill Boulevard will host its own Hatch chile roasting event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can not only purchase raw Hatch chiles by the pound or 25-pound case, but can have them roasted on site.
Tastings of various recipes dreamed up by Gelson’s executive chef Peter Fiore, such as cream of Hatch soup, Hatch sausages and heirloom tomato and Hatch chile salad with avocado, will also be available while supplies last, according to Mark Carroll, the chain’s senior director of produce.
“You can roast a zillion peppers but, for some reason, Hatch chiles just have a unique flavor,” said Carroll, confessing his personal favorite recipe for Hatch chiles is in a guacamole. “It has a good combination of sweet and spicy that’s just delicious.”
Gelson’s Markets have offered Hatch roasting events throughout the Southland for the past four years, though the La Cañada Flintridge tradition is now in its second year. Carroll estimated the grocery chain orders up to 180 cases of chiles per season for store supplies and festival-goers.
A now-nationwide trend reflects the popularity of, and growing demand for, authentic Hatch chiles well beyond New Mexico’s borders, says Robert Schuller, public relations director for Vernon-based Melissa’s produce, Gelson’s chile supplier.
“It seems like every year we’re doing more and more with Gelson’s,” said Schuller, who himself attends chile roastings and makes trips to Hatch, N.M. to sample the season’s crop. “People like to buy these chiles by the case, and if you’re at the right place at the right time, you can get your whole case roasted.”
Those in the produce industry admit there’s something about the humble Hatch that gets people hooked. Pepper aficionados say the chiles are distinct for their thicker flesh, owing to the area’s high elevation (above 4,000 feet) and cooler nighttime temperatures.
That thickness provides a robust flavor, available in varying degrees of heat, that multiplies when the chile is roasted, says Schuller.
True fans as well as the Hatch curious would do well to take advantage of Gelson’s expert roasters on Saturday as roasting one case of chiles at home would take about four hours, says Schuller, who once sold a single customer eight cases.
But even if you just want one, or to get a taste of what the chile can do to a soup, salad or sausage, Gelson’s on Saturday is your best bet.
“This is the way you can celebrate the Hatch Valley Chile Festival at a store near you,” Schuller said.
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
