How Hatch Chile Peppers are Like a Fine Wine –and Back Now!

(Gerry Furth-Sides) What gives Hatch Chile Peppers its distinctive taste? Answer: hot days and cool nights in Hatch, New Mexico. The same reason for the distinctive taste of fine wines from the Central Coast of California. Melissa’s Hatch peppers harvested from fertile soil along the Rio Grande, bring about these prized Hatch peppers. Rows and rows of mild, medium, hot, and extra hot peppers thrive in the river valley.

The combination of nutrient-rich soil, intense sunlight and cool desert nights, result in this sought-after pepper with thick walls and meaty, flavorful flesh unlike any other. The weather in Hatch gives the mildly hot and savory pepper an obsessively delicious spicy and sweet flavor. When perfectly roasted the flavor pop is totally original. No wonder the peppers – and the sweet onion crop grown right before them – have developed a cult following. See more at //localfoodeater.com/an-insiders-guide-to-hatch-chili-season-starting-now/

Gelson’s will once again continue the tradition of celebrating Hatch Chile Season and some stores will offer a variation of heat levels depending on the crop.

Made with in-house Hatch Pepper Powder, salt, oregano, cumin and garlic.Hatch peppers add mild to hot heat to the popcorn, as well as a flavor distinct to this pepper. The comparison is apt of as with adding a fine mustard, hatch chilies enhance and bring out flavor.

Named after the original growing area in Hatch, New Mexico, authentic Hatch Peppers are truly a Southwestern favorite. No other pepper is prized more than this variety, which grows in the Hatch Valley, just north of Las Cruces. The valley, which stretches along the Rio Grande’s southern-most bend before crossing into Texas and Mexico, is covered with row after row of these green leafy pepper plants for most of the summer.

Hatch peppers are prized because they are harvested within a short six-week season.  Melissa’s delivers these full-flavored peppers to local markets, where customers may have the option of having them roasted during special events or home roasting. Many customers purchase the peppers in 25 pound batches to freeze for the year.

Melissa’s Produce has created a Hatch Essential line for those customers unable to do this. The line includes: Hatch Clean Snax®, Hatch dried pepper pods, Hatch pepper pecans, Hatch popcorn, Hatch polenta, Hatch salsa, Hatch seasoning powder and more.

Live roastings are back at a few Gelson’s stores this year: Westlake Village on August 8; Carlsbad on August 14; Valley Village in North Hollywood August 21, Long Beach August 28; NoHo on August Long Beach on 8/28. Beginning July 25, customers can order chiles by the case online and orders will be available for pick-up starting Saturday August 7.

The Gelson’s Kitchen also offers Hatch Chile Cornbread, Hatch Egg Salad, Hatch Chile/Grilled Corn/Heirloom Tomato Salad, Hatch Macaroni & Cheese, Mini Quiche Hatch Chile,  Hatch Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla. New on the menu this year are Hatch Shrimp and Cheese Quesadilla are among the many offerings from the Gelson’s meat department. The quiche is absolutely phenomenal.

Customers can order their chiles for any Saturday, up to the Thursday immediately prior (while supplies last) before 4pm. Pick-up will be from 10am -6pm and customers can choose a pick-up window.  For more information, please visit, //gelsons.com/hatchchiles

Founded in 1951, Gelson’s currently operates 27 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California. Customers can find out why Life Tastes Better Here® at Gelson’s website, //gelsons.com to reserve their cases.How