Last week a lively thread on my facebook page inspired me to write about green chili. I found it interesting to see that many of the participants in the discussion have lived in Colorado at some point, and after moving away to other parts of the US, have continued to cherish the dish. However, it also became apparent that the key to good green chili is the main ingredient: Hatch’s Green Chilies. This poses a problem for people living in regions where they’re difficult to find.

Bryan Ginsel, who lives in Wisconsin (among others on the thread), grows his own.

I had not been aware that certain growing conditions can cause the peppers to become sweeter. Fascinating! I’ve since then learned a bit about where Hatch’s Green Chilies are grown, and lo-and-behold the conditions are quite important to the flavor of the peppers.  Here is a great article about this topic.

When I lived in Massachusetts, a good friend of mine from high school sent me some that he had canned (above photo), and having not had them available for several years, I re-discovered that they made a huge difference in the flavor and quality of my homemade green chili. In the first post about green chili on this blog I’ve listed Thomas Mick’s favorite source for ordering green chilies online to supplement his harvest in North Carolina. Notably a Bostonian friend of mine was thrilled to learn about this, as having lived in Colorado for a time, he uses whatever he can find in Massachusetts.

The first post on Green Chili is here if you need to get up to speed!

There will be a third post, at least, regarding Green Chili, but also be sure to watch for a soon-to-be posted feature on burritos. Smothered in a multitude of sauces, including Green Chili!

Please comment here and share your favorite tips, tricks, opinions and places to get your favorite green chili! This blog is a conversation!