Central Market's annual Hatch Chile Festival
Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23 and Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30.

It's almost Hatch Chile Time!
We wheel out the roasters and a whole lot more as the truckloads of Hatch chiles arrive from our neighboring farmers in New Mexico. It's always been Central Market's claim to flame – each August, more than eight full truckloads of these beauties are delivered from Hatch, New Mexico, the Chile Capital of the World, as part of a celebration so big it takes not one, but two weekends to do it right. This time of year, we take our usual delicious recipes and add Hatch Chiles for an extra kick. Make sure to pick up your favorites, and be sure to look for our Hatch Chile cookbook, filled with Hatch-heavy recipes from savvy Central Market cooks – our shoppers!

"What is the mystique of these piquant peppers?" some not-yet-Hatched folks might ask. One theory is that, much like what happens for grapes in the wine country in France, the beloved chile flavor is the result of the combination of New Mexico sunshine, irrigation waters from the Rio Grande and the rich river sediment in which the chiles grow. Mild or hot, fresh or roasted, toasted or diced, it is – at last – that Hatch time of year!

Why HATCH?
Of all the pepper (chile) centers in the world, Hatch, New Mexico stands the tallest. Hatch's plant breeders and botanists are most unique. Mesilla Valley farmers are constantly developing new breeds and various tastes to satisfy a steady throng of new converts. In New Mexico, many say just by tasting a chile pod they can tell whether the pepper was grown North or South of Interstate 40 (formerly US Route 66), which runs from East toward Texas and West toward Arizona.

Hatch is located 37 miles north of Las Cruces via I-25. The northern-most incorporated community in Doña Ana county, the village of Hatch is home to some 1,673 residents, many of whom work in the fertile fields of the surrounding Hatch Valley. The area produces the world famous Hatch chile and is home to the annual Hatch Chile Festival, which draws thousands to the village. Hatch is located just west of the banks of the Rio Grande River.

The pepper grown most widely is a curved green pepper ranging from three to eight inches long, often called Sandia, Anaheim, or even Cayenne, among other names. Back in 1896, New Mexico rancher Emilio Ortega returned to Ventura, California with some pepper seeds to start a new business. That pepper eventually became known as the Anaheim. Ortega would soon be known throughout that part of Southern California as "the gentleman of green chile fame."

Choose fresh chiles with deep colors, avoiding those that look wrinkled or soft. Store them in a paper bag for a week in the refrigerator or enclose in freezer bags and freeze for up to a year.
Hatch Chile Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup (75g)  •  Calories: 15  •  Protein: 0.7g  •  Carbohydrate: 3.5g  Total Fat: 0.1g  •  Fiber: 0.6g