I still have almost 3 POUNDS of real Chimayo red powder. Several pounds of local (prob. Numex or Big Jim) green paste in the freezer.

Fresh Hatch greens have just hit the markets here, I NEED a bushel or 2....but I'm laid up.

Yes, I'm a zealot. The New Year (starts on Halloween for me) is NOT allowed to start without a large stash of green paste in the freezer.

I counted a while back and I have at least 14 different kinds of red chile, both ground and in pods. Whenever I run across a new to me kind of molido red, I buy it. (red keeps just fine in the freezer too, in air tight, water tight zip loc bags)

A while back I was looking for a Las Cruces #6 red (never did find it, but #9 is common) and I ran across a site that had green chile powder. Can I find it now? Of course not.

When I make red chili/e soup, (which by the way, isn't really Mexican, it's Tex Mex, or just plain Tex) I use 4 diff kinds of molido red. Usually California sweet, New Mexico med-warm (both Mojave brand), Gebharts' (brand name) and pasilla. Sometimes I'll add a bit (bit for me ==about a teaspoon) of chipotle.

Howsomever, pure chipotle powder is darn hard to find and expensive when you do. My friend had difficulties finding it even in New Mexico, but I finally have a fairly large stash.

Ref Chipotle--there are 2 kinds, both more often found in dried pod form. One, the cheaper and not so good kind, is yellowish, the really GOOD stuff is a dark red but not as brownish as either ancho or pasilla.

If you are in DIRE need of chipotle, buy a can of it in adobo sauce. Rinse off the sauce, and dry the pods slowly in the oven overnight. (If you want powder, otherwise just mince or paste the chile pieces)

Place in a small blender, spice grinder, or coffee bean grinder.

Ah, chile, the food of the Gods

Sorch, the Chile Head


PS--Appetizer/starter/munchie to die for--melt some Monterrey Jack cheese in micro or double boiler. Swirl some chipotle powder on top and barely stir. Serve with white corn chips (a la Tostitos)