Next day is required or optional?

seebee wrote:Next day is required or optional?

Further reading on the site led me to conclude that next day shipping is optional. I might worry about it in the heat of midsummer, but I think regular USPS ground would be okay this time of year.

Also, I emailed the site asking for clarification of how the "Autumn Roast" differs from the "regular" green chile, but I haven't received a reply yet.

Dee

We get 'em in Kansas City since about 5 years ago. Might be worthwhile to send someone down next year during the August season.

Geo

Geo wrote:We get 'em in Kansas City since about 5 years ago. Might be worthwhile to send someone down next year during the August season.

Geo

That's good to know. I spend summers in Colorado, usually driving back with stocks of chile (and the wonderful coffee that my Costco there carries). As much as I love the fragrance and romance of roasted-on-the-spot chiles from the backs of battered pickup trucks with NM plates, the prices on the street in Denver have gotten ridiculous - and I wouldn't be surprised if the provenance of many of those "Hatch chiles" would consist of a short hop to local chile fields. Not that CO chiles aren't good, too, but, perhaps snobbishly, I don't find their flavor to be as deep and complex as the Hatch and Chimayo-area peppers.

I don't want to represent myself as having the gourmet sensibilities of many in this forum. I've just been accustomed to being able to buy - from any supermarket - packages of Hatch chiles that had already been roasted, skinned and flash-frozen. To be able to make a pot of chile ("chile" being also the generic term for the ubiquitous porky chile stew) anytime I want.

I used to buy bushels roasted alongside Federal Blvd in Denver, or occasionally from some rural road around Chimayo, dividing and freezing them in Ziploc bags for use year-round. Eventually, though, the glow of self-satisfaction flickered as I realized that the end products made with a frozen store-bought Bueno package tasted just as wonderful at a far lower cost. I'll still take a guest to buy from the chile-roasters for the fun of it, or roast a few peppers at home, but for reliability, give me those packages any day.

Fast-forward to Chicago. With the numbers and diversity of Latinos here, many of whom routinely cook with chiles, it baffles me that frozen chiles (whether from New Mexico or anywhere else) are not a staple in grocery stores here. Where do they get their supplies? I just can't see all those busy moms roasting and peeling fresh chiles all the time, and canned ones, though handy, are just not good enough to be the main ingredient of a dish.

Oops, sorry for babbling on. I'm glad to hear Kansas City has joined those fortunate enough to get fresh chiles, and I'm sure your post will draw many a future pilgrim there!

Dee

deebeedo wrote:Fast-forward to Chicago. With the numbers and diversity of Latinos here, many of whom routinely cook with chiles, it baffles me that frozen chiles (whether from New Mexico or anywhere else) are not a staple in grocery stores here. Where do they get their supplies? I just can't see all those busy moms roasting and peeling fresh chiles all the time, and canned ones, though handy, are just not good enough to be the main ingredient of a dish.

Oops, sorry for babbling on. I'm glad to hear Kansas City has joined those fortunate enough to get fresh chiles, and I'm sure your post will draw many a future pilgrim there!

Dee

I lived in Abq and Den for a few years each. You are confusing "Latinos" with New Mexicans, and Coloradans and parts of Arizonians, and parts of Texans. Outside of those areas - "roasted chiles" in the terms we are discussing is virtually unknown. It's not used.

Geo wrote:We get 'em in Kansas City since about 5 years ago. Might be worthwhile to send someone down next year during the August season.

Geo

Hey Geo -
What format can you score them in? Fresh, fresh roasted, frozen roasted? All? Price?

Fresh and Fresh roasted, seebee. Can't remember the price exactly, between 2 and, say, 4 bucks a pound. They're *very* fresh, and absolutely value for money.

Price Chopper is a high mid-scale good supermarket (competitor to HyVee). One of their stores was completely re-modelled 4 yrs ago to be bi-cultural both in product and language. We call it the "Mexi-chopper" or "El Choppo". They're the store that started the Hatch chile boom. If you like latino cooking, you'd *kill* for this store.

Geo

deebeedo wrote:

seebee wrote:Next day is required or optional?

Further reading on the site led me to conclude that next day shipping is optional. I might worry about it in the heat of midsummer, but I think regular USPS ground would be okay this time of year.

Nice moves. I'm usually the one who gets questionable looks on storage of perishable stuff. Also, consider that if they sit in their originating area for a day, they are not going to be in the same weather as Chicago. Assuming you meant UPS ground (big difference in UPS vs USPS when you're talking shipping:)

Ups ground would probably be 3-4 days in transit.
USPS Priority would be more like two days in transit.

My first thought was that next day was unecessary, and that Priority mail looked to be the safest bargain option. I am very familiar with the world of shipping, and I really do not like using UPS - just my experience tho. I started out using UPS for my large packages, and I just could not stay with them. Fedex has been far more consistent, and rarely loses a package. I couldn't believe the difference. But anyway, my opinion would be that UPS ground is risky, though probably ok, and that for 15 bux more, USPS Priority is worth the upcharge (to me, anyway.) Another suggestion, either order it up well before bird day, or wait until after the holiday season. In my experience, lost packages are damn near the norm for ups between bird day and New Year's.

I'm in for two tubs. Let's figure it out. The only real issue I would be worried about is me not being able to get there on delivery date for pickup. Do you have freezer space? I would fully expect that I could get there on delivery date, but just in case, ya know?

Wife 1.0 just called from a Denver area Wal-Mart where she stopped en route to the airport. Quart sized bags of roasted/peeled/frozen gc are being procured, and I should get my greedy little paws on them around 8pm. I told her not to get too many bags for now. She's going back next week.
I just wish she could have found a better place than WallyWorld, but beggars cannot be choosers. AND, I get my half hog next week sometime. Green chile is AWN! Life is good.

seebee wrote:Wife 1.0 just called from a Denver area Wal-Mart where she stopped en route to the airport. Quart sized bags of roasted/peeled/frozen gc are being procured, and I should get my greedy little paws on them around 8pm. I told her not to get too many bags for now. She's going back next week.
I just wish she could have found a better place than WallyWorld, but beggars cannot be choosers. AND, I get my half hog next week sometime. Green chile is AWN! Life is good.

Congratulations! I've been putting off ordering until we decide whether/when we'll go to Colorado in the next month or two.

dee

'tis the season!

I was lucky enough to be in Texas until yesterday and thru the lovely (and sometimes ugly) world of social media I learned that it was also Hatch Chile Fest at Central Market locations throughout the state. If you've never been to one I think they're one of the best regional grocery chains in the country. On top of stacking up on Chili powders they had Hatch everything going on including the roasting of them out front. I was able to stuff 12 pounds into my carry on bag.


Roasted and Peeled

The smell in the car on the ride back from the airport was too hard to resist so I stopped in at Stanley's to grab some produce and made what I could with what was in the fridge.


Hatch Burrito: Grilled Chicken Thighs w/ a Schmaltz Black Bean Spread, Cilantro Rice, Off the Cob Elotes, Hatch Chiles and Fixin's


The chiles made it...

I guess it's just the time of year. I was at Whole Foods, River Forest yesterday, and they had Hatch chile's. I seriously thought about getting a dispensation from my eat local regime and buying some.

I imagine they're still there now that i have a bit more incentive.

For whatever reason, the mild chiles I bought this season are spectacular - best flavor I've ever tasted. It's easy to add heat to a dish, but not easy to get this kind of flavor. 30 pound sack, roasted for $20:

Hi,

I was in Kansas City yesterday. There was a display of hatch chiles for $1.59 per pound.

I will be in Kansas City next Monday. If anyone wants these chiles, a case is 15-20 pounds (with or without box, I am not yet sure). I need to give them an order by Friday afternoon, to pick them up on Monday.

I'd prefer case quantity or several people sharing a case with one person the point man for the shared case. I just want to give them the case, then let someone else figure out who gets what.

Since I am driving alone, I can handle at least eight cases and probably more.

If there is an interest, let me know. I will have pictures up later today.

They are not presently offering roasted chiles. They do it, but they have finished for this year. There were dried hatch chiles there, too. In their display, they had a wheel of hatch chile cheese from Wisconsin.

I am willing, if anyone wants to take me up on this offer.

laikom
G Wiv
Da Beef
Leek 50% + Cathy 50%
BR + bean + mystery person 1/3 each


Regards,

C2--

Where were they in KC? at the MexiChopper? I need to tell my roomie.

Geo

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I was in Kansas City yesterday. There was a display of hatch chiles for $1.59 per pound.

I will be in Kansas City next Monday. If anyone wants these chiles, a case is 15-20 pounds (with or without box, I am not yet sure). I need to give them an order by Friday afternoon, to pick them up on Monday.

I'd prefer case quantity or several people sharing a case with one person the point man for the shared case. I just want to give them the case, then let someone else figure out who gets what.

Since I am driving alone, I can handle at least eight cases and probably more.

If there is an interest, let me know. I will have pictures up later today.

They are not presently offering roasted chiles. They do it, but they have finished for this year. There were dried hatch chiles there, too. In their display, they had a wheel of hatch chile cheese from Wisconsin.

I am willing, if anyone wants to take me up on this offer.

Regards,

I'd love for you to pick me up a case of them! We can have our own hatch roasting party!

Geo wrote:C2--

Where were they in KC? at the MexiChopper? I need to tell my roomie.

Geo

Geo: I was at a HyVee just doing my usual culinary tourism.

Laikom: I was 100% sure you would want this.

I can bring more, if anyone wants them.

Regards,

Laikom--I will help you with that box if you want. I would like to roast some of my homegrown as well if you have room on whatever appliance you intend to use for this project.

boudreaulicious wrote: . . . on whatever appliance you intend to use for this project.

Haha. I'm sure it will be built from scratch. Maybe from a metal trash can?

In the parking lots they use a giant bingo spinner looking thing and some propane. Maybe we can use charcoal instead? I would love to spin them over an open flame.

If you guys could bottle the smell of fresh roasting green chile out of those big barrell bingo roaster things, I'd be first in line to buy it.

Cathy2 wrote:Since I am driving alone, I can handle at least eight cases and probably more.

Very nice of you to offer. I will take one case please.

Once upon a time I built a spinner thingy out of chicken wire and roasted my Hatch chiles over burning oak logs. Damn! They tasted just incredible--smoke, chile, char, ummmm.

But it was *such* a PITA cleaning ten pounds...

Geo

Hi,

I was watching someone online roast their hatch chiles over a stove fire. I have certainly roasted chiles on my grill. Of course, it looks so much more cool when you do it in a bingo bin.

I have four cases on order. I just talked to the produce manager, each case will net 23 pounds of hatch chiles.

I am so glad there is an interest.

Regards,

Geo wrote:Once upon a time I built a spinner thingy out of chicken wire and roasted my Hatch chiles over burning oak logs. Damn! They tasted just incredible--smoke, chile, char, ummmm.

But it was *such* a PITA cleaning ten pounds...

Geo

That sounds like something! I spent a few days straight roasting some as seen above. The first time around it was a bit of a pain and many of them ripped apart during the peeling process. But with each roast it became much, much easier. The key is getting the grates nice and hot so they blister to a dark black color right away. Give them extra time in a concealed brown paper bag and then the trick I figured out was to rip them from the bottom. Usually there's a nice air pocket down there which pops right open and lets you slide two fingers on each end thru. With it the entire skin rips right off all the way to the stem.

If you are freezing them, it is generally better to freeze the whole, uncleaned chile. The skin is thought to protect better from freezer damage and is easier to peel when thawed.

For what it's worth, Whole Foods (Lincoln Park location, at least) has had hatch chiles (specifically labelled as product of NM) the past week to ten days or so for $1.49/pound (on sale; the regular price was listed at $1.99/pound). Last saw them on Tuesday of this week, so you might want to check before heading over if interested.

I just called the lincoln park and lakeview locations. Both locations reported they were in stock, both also reported that they were $3.99/lb.

laikom wrote:I just called the lincoln park and lakeview locations. Both locations reported they were in stock, both also reported that they were $3.99/lb.

Wow, then they've gone up considerably. I bought a couple of pounds at $1.99 initially and 8 more pounds at $1.49/pound.

Hi,

This where each case will go:

laikom
G Wiv
Leek 50% + Cathy 50%
BR + bean + turkob 1/3 each

Leek (more or less near north) has agree to be a drop off point as well as Gwiv (Peterson):

I will drop off to Leek, then the rest to GWiv. Please specify where you want to pick them up.

Regards,